‘Mauni Baba’ breaks silence

TIMES have changed. It is big news if the Prime Minister of the country asks Hindus and Muslims to fight poverty together, not each other. It is again something major if the President of India says, “We can’t allow the core values of our civilisation to be wasted”. In normal times such platitudes would not have been flashed on the front pages of newspapers or become “breaking news” on TV channels. But such has been the buildup of communal tension and intolerance, and the fear of hardliners grabbing the national centre stage with their one-upmanship on communal rhetoric that any sane comment from the Head of State or the Head of Government comes as a relief.

More than anyone else it is Prime Minister Modi who needs to introspect on the President’s emphasis on diversity, tolerance and plurality. His oath of office enjoins him to act to preserve these cherished values the country had almost taken for granted for so long. A clear and present danger to these values as well as to communal peace in the country is from elements belonging to the BJP, the RSS and other Sangh Parivar outfits, who seem to be enjoying the patronage of the Prime Minister. At least that is the public perception. Modi cannot wash his hands off the whole Dadri incident by making some general statements at an election rally. In his delayed and studied response, he did not, as Omar Abdullah pointed out, condemn the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq.  

It is not enough for the Prime Minister to say that “people should ignore controversial statements made by politicians.” Among those whipping up communal passions and making polarising statements are his ministers Mahesh Sharma and Sanjeev Baliyan, MPs Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj and MLA Sangeet Som. What action, if any, does he propose to take against them? All the tall talk of Mr Modi about “sabka saath, sabka vikas” sounds hollow as long as his party colleagues feel unconstrained in playing divisive politics. Hardliners are setting the agenda for the country and it is for the Prime Minister to decide if he is with them or against them.