BJP vs. "India": Some stray thoughts on the odds

[Sukla Sen]

I. The quasi-federal state structure - as it obtains today, or the more fundamental ethno-linguistic diversities that it gives expression to and legitimises, is - as is often claimed, of course a hurdle on the way to "Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan".

But, (much) less than insurmountable.

The developments over the last seven years and, more particularly, the last two amply testify to that.

One can hardly repose blind (and fatalistic) faith in the efficacy of the (various) structural hurdles.

These are, rather, to be, planfully, weaponised in the resistance against this ongoing evil project.

II. While the, admittedly, weak and deeply flawed "democracy" is under attack - from the forces of authoritarianism, and its imminent overthrow - in real terms, is quite a possibility, any meaningful vision of expanding "democracy" further must coincide with the struggle for defending it.

That's, if at all, the beginning of the process of going beyond.

The Bolshevik Revolution was preceded by the Bolsheviks spearheading the fight on the battle front against the advancing Kornilov in defence of the critically threatened Kerensky regime, which they'd soon overthrow post the successful defence.

Just an illustration.

III. The grand success of the ongoing farmers' agitation in making the 56", rather unexpectedly, making a gesture of bowing down before it has boldly underlined the great salience of physical mass movements on the streets to hault the Hindutva juggernaut.

Not to also forget that the immediate reasons for the bow down are the coming state elections - especially in UP and Rajasthan, given the electoral drubbing that the BJP has just suffered in the bypolls in Himachal and Rajasthan - in the vicinity of the aforementioned two states.

IV. That makes it utterly imperative for all those aspiring and fighting for a better India, and world, to make a common cause - even if in their very own ways, in building up mass struggles against the unfolding nightmarish "evil project" - its various manifestations, and, eventually, bundle its architects out - lock, stock and barrel, in the next Lok Sabha poll.