Opinion: Modi's electoral 'war-drum' and Rahul Gandhi's big challenge

If war was a sure shot road to electoral success then Winston Churchill would have again become the Prime Minister of United Kingdom after World War II. Indira Gandhi, after a massive victory in 1971, wouldn't have presided over internal chaos in the country and lost elections to Janata Party in 1977. Atal Bihari Vajpaye, despite the Kargil War and detonation of nuclear devices, wouldn't have failed in 2004 either. BJP is failing to distinguish between TV appetite and real national concerns. The real concern should be a weak rupee and massive farmer distress in many states in the country rather than commitment of political parties to the Indian Army.

The concerns of social unrest, public lynching over cow vigilantism and branding of dissent as anti-national continue to remain despite multiple assurance made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite of it, all ministers can only share their concern of people's commitment over patriotism as if it needs political affirmation every day. But it doesn't mean that the narrative is a runaway success. Kairana in Uttar Pradesh proved that the humble ganna (sugercane) can defeat a mighty Jinnah. Despite hard polarisation, the BJP was not able to pull off a victory. The contribution of a grand alliance too cannot be ruled out. Same thing happened in Bihar in distant past.

BJP's increased rhetoric on nationalism, submission of personal opinion over larger senstivity and appropriation of military action in public for electoral reason should be a great cause of concern. Not only it legitmises a discourse for limited personal autonomy for larger good but also makes military contribution pivotal to national honour. It pits one section of the political spectrum as anti-military to claim the mantle of patriotism and commitment towards the nation.

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The release of visuals of the cross-border operation conducted in 2016 is also a testimony to the thought which prevails in the government. The aim is to consolidate BJP's own political constituency and project opposition as opposed to national interest on the ground that it questioned political consumption of a surgical strike.

India in this context will behave differently. It has always admired strength in the leadership but not authoritarian tendencies. The best example in this case is Indira Gandhi who made enemies out of political opponents. History seems to be repeating itself. The relationship between the government and opposition has boiled down to enmity. The attempt is to discredit each other. Though the pioneer of this politics has been the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP took it to another level during and after 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Centre's assault on the Congress is also an ideological challenge to the party. The BJP has very smartly identified its core constituency post-2004 Lok Sabha election defeat. The consensus is that BJP is a Hindu party and Hindu anxiety will remain the core of its politics. Congress will need to identify its own core. It may have to relook into its old image of poor man's party if it wants position itself differently from the BJP.

By comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb will not work. Firstly, kings across the world used political violence to enforce rule and secondly the binary of medieval and ancient ruler is RSS lingo where all ruling ethnicities of medieval India are amalgamated into a single religious identity. They will never talk about the fact that Afghans, Mughals, Deccani kingdoms, slave dynasties fought with each other with non-Muslim alliance partners. Mughals had Rajputs has their partners.

It comes across as a copy-cat tactic. It will not work. Congress should work to project its own idea of national security, economic policy and cultural continuity rather than remain a constant critic. Or else who knows what has so far not happened in the world in context of war and nationalism may become a first in India.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)