MP elections: Hindutva tops parties' poll agenda

BATTLING IT OUT: The Hindutva plank is proving slippery for Congress but BJP and Uma thrive on it

          

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New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh is considered as the state of gods and goddesses and people who hold the key to the future of this state are those to whom affiliations don’t matter.

For all of them, religion is as important as politics.

Madhya Pradesh’s historic town, Ujjain, which is famous for river Shipra (also known as the Kshipra) and Lord Mahakaleshwar temple has many firsts - no big ticket political leader and no predominant issue that has been talked about.

In the land of gods and godesseses, Maa Narmada and the holy Shipra, Hindutva has always been a way of life but it now has a new rallying point.

A Sadhavi from Ujjain known for making fiery speeches is now charged to be the chief conspirator of terror strikes across the country.

If in neighbouring Gujarat, Hindutva mascot Narendra Modi used the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter to raise his stock, in Madhya Pradesh the arrest of sadhvi Pragya Thakur and a cloud of suspicion on other seers is yet another opportunity for the BJP.

BJP and the Hindutva tide

The man leading the BJP, is someone who has risen from the Hindutva laboratory.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan, is a staunch RSS swayamsevak (volunteer) who made surya namaskar (worshipping sun) mandatory in schools in MP.

He was photographed along with sadhvi Pragya Thakur and the BJP president. So he, very cleverly is talking just about development and a clever mix of Hindutva with vikaas (development).

Shivraj claims to have been successful in controlling Naxal activities in MP.

He also claims that it was because of his government that the police was able to arrest all the major SIMI activists from MP.

“We have been able to control Naxal activities and crack SIMI network in MP. From Safar Nagori to Mohammad Ali, all SIMI activists have been arrested in MP,” claims Shivraj.

But when asked about his silence on Sadhvi Pragya Thakur’s case, he says, “The investigation is on and therefore I don’t want to comment on this case.”

During the Malegaon blast case investigation, a video was released where Shivraj was shown with sadhvi Pragya Thakur.

This has given way to many controversies but Shivraj says that it does not worry him and that he believes in his religion.

“Hindutva humaara darshan hai, humara vichaar hai, Hindutva ek philosophy hai. Way of life, hai Hindutva. Hindutva kahta hai- 'Vasudev Kutumbakam' which means saari duniya ek parivaar hai. (Hindutva is a philosophy, it is a way of thinking and is a guide to life. Hindutva teaches us that the entire world is but one large family),” he says.

Congress walks on thin ice

For the Congress, it is like walking a tight rope.

Not only does it have two potential chief ministerial candidates, this is also the state that has produced the maximum party satraps - Arjun Singh, Motilal Vohra, Digvijay Singh and Madhavrao Scindia.

Each of them has his own Hindu identity.

MP is the first state that had banned cow slaughter. Digvijay Singh wanted to sell cow urine across the medical stores as medicine and this is one reason why the Congress party’s chief ministerial candidate and Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Suresh Pachouri is careful not to cross the Hindutva line.

Talking a slightly different stand, Pachauri says that when it comes to terrorism one should not see it with the eyes of the religion or caste.

“If we want to fight terrorism, we have to fight it tooth and nail. This is the line of Congress party,” says Pachauri.

“We lost our great leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. So, we are in the fight against terrorism,” he adds.

The Uma factor

Both Pachauri and Shivraj are trying to weave the past with the future but what about Uma Bharti, the maverick sanyasin (priestess) who is still trying to run away from her past. From storming out of the BJP headquarters to the slap-kiss-gate, it is her mercurial past which keeps getting the better of her.

This is a make or break election for Uma Bharti. Last time she was the Sangh Parivar's choice for taking on Thakur Raja Digvijay Singh. Now she is up in arms against the Sangh, trying to prove that she is the real custodian of Hindutva.

Uma is not at all worried that she is supporting the sadhvi. Uma openly says that sadhvi Pragya should be accepted.

“She has already passed all the narco-analysis tests and they keep subjecting her to again and again. That is very physically abusing for her and very insulting too. One narco test is enough, what I am worried about is the change of BJP and especially Advaniji has to answer two questions - is not Pragya Thakur a product of Ram Rath from Somnath to Ayodhya. You have to accept her that you cannot be ashamed of her, you have to accept her and be proud of her,” she says.

Uma believes that the assembly elections are a ‘do or die’ for both her and the BJP.

“I think it is an existential election for both the BJP and me. They think that they have to learn to survive without me, not only in MP but also in UP and Bihar as well as the Parliamentary elections in Gujarat too. I am going to challenge them in the Parliament too. So it for both of us, so I think it is do or die for both of us,” Uma explains.

So is sadhvi Pragya Thakur, Madhya Pradesh's interpretation of Hindutva? One wonders if her arrest is the main talking point for Hindus, and is this just a battle for the Hindu vote!

But religious leader Archarya Shekhar firmly believes that Hindus can never be terrorists.

“Hindu kabhi aatankwaadi nahi ho sakta (a Hindu can never be a terrorist),” sais Archarya.