'Political narrative in our country today is tilted towards Hindutva orientation and so Kejriwal becomes very dangerous to the BJP.'
'For them, he is a leader to watch.'
"Hanuman Jayanti has become such a big thing for the Sangh Parivar because Arvind Kejriwal is asserting that he is a devotee of Lord Hanuman. How can a Hindu God be asserted by someone from another political party?" Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an observer of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its Hindutva politics since the 1980s, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com in the concluding segment of his interview.
- Part I: 'BJP has to keep the people intoxicated with hate'
- Part II: 'Once violence becomes endemic, we don't know what direction society will take'
None of the so-called 'secular' parties barring the CPI-M went to Jahangirpuri to show sympathy for the poor Muslims. Why?
They didn't go because the entire political discourse has shifted to right-wing politics.
It is like when you are in the school parade and the teacher shouts eyes right, then everybody looks to the right.
This is what is happening in India, everybody is looking towards the Right and nobody is looking to the Left or Centre.
All parties are fixated on shooting at the same goal.
Hanuman Jayanti has become such a big thing for the Sangh Parivar because Arvind Kejriwal is asserting that he is a devotee of Lord Hanuman.
How can a Hindu God be asserted by someone from another political party?
This threatens the BJP's vote bank and therefore they take out a big procession on Hanuman Jayanti.
They create a situation where few stones are thrown at them and they hit back and the rest is history.
Does it mean this entire Hanuman Jayanti procession was a political play between the Aam Aadmi Party AAP and BJP in which Muslims for no reason got trapped?
I think the BJP has got a bit worried.
Kejriwal has won Punjab and won two seats in Goa.
He is planning to make inroads next in Gujarat, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
In the last few weeks, you can see the number of states where the AAP has set up election committees to expand its base, which obviously the BJP knows is a threat to them will coming from a shade of saffron.
Political narrative in our country today is tilted towards Hindutva orientation and so Kejriwal becomes very dangerous to the BJP.
For them, he is a leader to watch. They cannot affix the 'dynast' tag on him like they do on other Opposition leaders.
Will riots benefit the BJP?
Difficult to say now, but it is an attempt on the BJP's part to do this.
The AAP has hit back against the BJP by stating they are organising riots.
The Delhi police, which is under the central government, was keeping quiet during the riots in Jahangirpuri.
They did not take any action against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad who had no permission to take out rallies on Hanuman Jayanti in Muslim localities. Very little action has been taken against them.
But Muslims are also to be blamed for throwing stones at the processions.
Why do you come in front of a mosque and demonstrate by showing saffron flags and shouting 'Jai Shri Ram'?
Whataboutery has become the principle of political tactics since 2014.
So, let me also do it by stating, why do you take out processions in Muslim areas?
How is your spiritual need served or getting benefited by shouting slogans in front of a mosque?
They cannot explain if you ask them this question.
They are doing this just because they want to show Muslims their place in today's India.
