Gorakhpur and Phoolpur results have not only shocked BJP-RSS-Modi-Shah-Yogi clique. They have exposed the FASCIST-HINDUTVA GAMEPLAN and the way it can be defeated.
Consider the following points
- Modi’s political efforts were aimed at building a new voting bloc of an Anti-Muslim, ‘Hindu poor’ in the Hindi Heartland.
- This was the main Reason Behind Demonetisation.
- If you analyse, What has been Modi’s Contribution, his usp, his Departure, from older forms of Hindutva Politics?
- It is commonly perceived that Modi side-stepped Advani and the entire BJP old guard because of ‘arrogance’, or ego issues or similar, non-political reasons. But, Nothing Is Personal in Politics.
- Had Modi failed in adding a NEW DIMENSION to Hindutva politics, he would not only still be licking Advani’s shoes, but would never have been able to sustain as BJP’s Prime Ministerial choice!
- UP was the testing ground of this entire exercise, of building an ANTI-ELITIST, anti-Muslim voting bloc of the ‘poor Hindu’! This ‘Hindu poor’ bloc included the wide participation of the numerous MBCs or non-Yadav, non-Kurmi, Most Backward Castes, in UP: NISHADS, BINDS, RAJBHARS, MAURYAS, LOHAR, BADHAI, NUNIYA ETC.
- Himself a non-powerful OBC, Modi brought these forces over to the BJP. THIS WAS SOMETHING, ADVANI OR JOSHI WERE NOT ABLE TO DO!
- Modi thus, and this is crucial, without giving up COMMUNAL POLITICS (in fact, making it sharper and aggressive) gave BJP-RSS a footing in the rural poor!
- Since 2014, we have seen numerous incidents where ’empowered’ MBCs lynched or established ‘dominance’ over Muslims.
- Modi understood what no one else did: that just like majority of Muslims, Hindu MBCs are desperately poor–and it would be a masterstroke to turn them against each other! It would be like killing two birds with one stone: Making India Safe for Corporate Loot by Dividing Peasants and the poor and ensuring the Diversion of class anger along Communal lines!
- It has to be understood that fascism is nothing but a distorted form of class struggle.
- Fascism Diverts Real contradictions of the society- Expressed starkly in rich vs poor or corporate vs poor peasent-working class struggle towards non issues and false conflicts among the poor themselves based on religion/Caste etc.
- The main reason why BJP got a brute majority in UP was Modi’s promise of a loan waiver.
- People of UP had voted for BJP’s electoral promises, not Yogi.
- After NO debt waiver–instead, reducing it to a cipher and a joke (with Rs1 to Rs. 50 ‘waived’ for farmers), people of UP felt cheated.
- If People of UP were Communal, they would have heeded BJP’S call to value Hindutva over Economic Discontent.
- It must be remembered that politics in UP has revolved around ‘welfare’ issues. People think they make and break Govts–AND IT IS THE DUTY OF THE STATE TO FULFILL THE DEMANDS, ESPECIALLY OF THE RURAL MIDDLE CLASS AND THE POOR!
- This is the reason why UP is different–here, private sector is not developed. And there is a direct contract between the State and the people.
This is the grassroot reality. People regard the present BJP Govt as the worst in terms of offering Welfare
- During Gorakhpur and Phoolpur elections, the common refrain was- UP men itnee sarkaaren aayeen, keval BJP sarkaar ke paas kabhau paise hee nahee rahat hai (So many Govts come and go in UP, only the BJP has no money to spend on the people)!
- Thus, the UP peasants, majority of them OBCs and MBCs, had decided to teach BJP a lesson.
- It was thus class, not caste, that played a primary role in anti-BJP polarisation.
- Muslims were not passive in this whole exercise. They played an active, even leading role, in spreading the message of BJP being a Ghaddar Party.
- Brahmin peasants played the other major role of openly distributing pamphlets about BJP’s treachery, urging backwards and Muslims to unite!
- The fielding of candidates by Congress diverted crucial votes away from the BJP.
