Modi throws down the Gauntlet and hits out at 'so called' Gau Rakshaks
- In Current Affairs
- 09:01 AM, Aug 07, 2016
- Mayuresh Didolkar
In Mario Puzo’s iconic novel of trust, friendship and betrayal, ‘The Sicilian’ there is a scene where a newly formed band of outlaws is looking up to their rebel Robin Hood like leader, Turi Gulliano, to show he has what it takes to take tough decisions. The issue at hand is whether to execute the local barber for informing on to the band to police. Turi Gulliano, the leader, shows his strategic genius by asking a new member of the band, a former police officer, to execute the treacherous barber. Turi knows that the former police officer is an honourable man, and that he would not agree to kill the barber unless he is sure of the barber’s treason. Great leaders often have this ability to create situations where people are forced to reveal their true colours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attack on the cow vigilantes is a great example of his ability to do so, only the smug opposition is not yet caught on.
In the first Town Hall meeting in Delhi today, the PM hit at the Gau Rakshak Dals (Cow vigilante teams) for setting up shop in the name of Cow worship. Modi did not mince his words while describing these vigilantes as ‘some people who do anti-social activity during night, wear veil of Gau raksha during the day’. This is the most unequivocal condemnation of the anti-social elements on an issue that the opposition is raking up repeatedly, and at first glance it is easy to mistake Modi’s stand as a concession to the opposition. Such assumption could not be further from the truth.
First of all, unlike his detractors who paint Modi’s support base as blood-thirsty, saffron wearing, trishul wielding thugs, who start their day by drinking cow’s urine and end it by feasting on the flesh of enemies, the Prime Minister himself is well aware that his core constituency is people like this writer- educated , middle class people with a strong aversion to violence (mainly because we are painfully aware how vulnerable we are to it) ,people who place a premium on corruption free governance, and opportunities to work. As long as the NDA government keeps pushing revolutionary reforms like the GST, and as long as it keeps talking tough on terrorism, Modi’s core voters do not care about the vigilantism issue. Therefore, by taking a tough, anti-cow vigilantism stance, Modi has virtually no risk to his voter base.
Also as bizarre as it sounds, the vigilantes themselves understand that even with this stance from the leader of the government, a BJP led government remains their best hope to see a cow slaughter- free India. Any person with an iota of common sense would be quick to see that while BJP condones any violence in the name of cow protection, unlike its opponents, the party does not take a perverse pleasure in shouting from the rooftops of social media how much they love eating cow flesh. Many INC and left leaders, in their haste to oppose BJP at all costs, have done precisely that over last two years and it is hard to see how the vigilante demographic will ever align itself with those so violently opposed to their faith.
Once you combine the above two facts, it is easy to see how the PM’s stance is easily the best ideological position for the party to take and possibly the most uncomfortable one for its opponents.
In the last year or so, whether it was over the JNU sedition case, or the Kashmiri violent separatists, the left (and Congress) have placed a premium on the right to dissent and on the right to express the said dissent with violence. People like Kavita Krishnan, politicians like Ghulam Nabi Azad and student leaders like Kanhaiya Kumar have done their best to explain why, at times, it is necessary for people to become violent to get their rights.
Prime Minister’s unconditional condemnation of similar vigilantism in an issue close to his party’s ideology, takes the wind out of any such arguments in one fell swoop. Think of it from a neutral view point- on one side you have the ruling party that supports protecting cows and yet makes no excuses while accepting that the vigilantes pose a threat to law and order and that they must be punished. Mind you, Mr. Modi has put no qualification to his condemnation, there is no ‘but’ or ‘however’ that would begin to explain why the cow vigilantes are anything but violent thugs.
Can the left liberals take a similar position on the Kashmiri separatists who use stones and acid bulbs to attack the security forces? Can Arundhati Roy take a similar position against Mao terrorists who blow people to bits with IEDs and put bullets in the heads of CRPF personnel? Can Sitaram Yechuri and Achutanandan take a similar stance against the communist goons in Kerala who murder RSS workers with impunity?
What makes the situation even worse for the left is their natural response to the PM’s statement today is going to be demanding actions to follow his words. This is typical left response where it assumes itself to be a judge and supervisor of everyone else. This self-appointed judge and supervisor act has worn thin over a period of time. AAP which loves to do this, has become a butt of everyone’s jokes and any attempt from the left to monitor the PM over his remarks is bound to be met with similar disdain.
That simply means, the left will either have to bite the bullet and condemn all the violence their poster boys have been committing, or cede the moral high ground to Mr. Modi who has shown the willingness to take a tough stance on his own base. Any attempt from the left to explain why it is ok for Kashmiris to pelt stones on armed forces and police while demanding action from Modi on the cow vigilantism is bound to smack of high hypocrisy. And unlike Modi who has nothing to lose from his statements today, the left stands to alienate its core hooligan base if it decides to match Modi on this.
This is the kind of heads you lose, tails I win situation that good leaders can create for their opponents.
Though, A steel spine and moral fibre is a pre-requisite for it.
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