Before plotting all sorts of strategies to dethrone Narendra Modi, the Opposition has to understand that in this country, the game of politics has assumed new dimensions

Modi versus all, or BJP versuss all, to be more correct, is the feature of political cricket being played in India these days. Is it merely an expression of power politics or a fight between two approaches — parochial and cognitive — for politics and governanceIJ It is all about the rules of the game, interpretation and implementation thereof that present-day political cricket is concerned with.

There are non-BJP political players who are questioning the BJP on account of anti-Dalit, anti-minority and anti-kisan politics. They are for defining the rules within the boundaries of secularism, communalism, nationalism, liberalism, tolerance and intolerance; regulation or not of cattle trade, saffronisation, and modernisation etc. That these frameworks are important for nation’s health is not a matter of contest.

Even the players from the BJP under the captaincy of Narendra Modi agree that all of the issues being raised by the opponents are not political alone in nature. These are the constitutional goals and commitments. Anyone having committed to the Constitution, cannot go against the secular, democratic inclusive ethos of the Indian state and society, to say the least.

Therefore, these matters/rules of the game, according to Team BJP, are already constitutionally and legally settled. So, raising them as matters of debate is an exercise wasted. ‘let us live by them instead of debating them’, is the contention of the BJP. So they say we should play the power match in a sportsman’s spirit and bring out a new set of rules of the game that is more game-friendly as well as player-friendly.

That is to say, the game should be played with a new script in hand that should aim at reforms of the tools and techniques of the play —  eliminating any place for animosity therein, and promoting a culture of confidence, skill, self-reliance along with a sense of national pride in unity, integrity and brotherhood of the Indian nation. In other words, Team BJP is insisting on shelving the divisive and promoting the collective by practising the values of oneness even when both the teams might be claimants of a victory in the process.

The opposite team led by a ‘united’ Opposition is crying foul. It wants to play the game within the old paradigm of caste, creed, religion, region and minority-majority language, as this approach has helped them in the past to win the game and remain champions in the political arena. So, any alternative to this prescription is perceived by them as a deviation from the path of inclusive, democratic, liberal and secular polity. The opposite team is arguing that Indian society must be seen as multi cultural and Indian nation as multinational. While there is an element of truth if one says that Indian society is multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious one, it may be also accepted if one points out the regional imbalances in terms of levels of growth and development. But to say that there is no national culture in India, is what is rejected by Team Modi. Had it been so, then India could not have been tied into one thread of unity for centuries even in times when it fell prey to the might of the aggressors like the Mughals or the British.

The opposite team wants to play with bats of injustice of castes and communities, whereas Team Modi wants to play with the ball made up of elements flowing from all sections of the society. Only such a ball can provide a level-playing-field for all, nothing else. Hence, Team Modi wants the other team to forget the parochial rules and techniques to play the game and walk along the lines of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’, irrespective of caste, class, region or religion.

Therefore, Prime Minister Modi insists that clashes like the one in Saharanpur, Kashmir or elsewhere should be interpreted in a wider perspective with national and social interests in mind, instead of being looked at from the point of narrow and immediate political gains /losses. These or any other such conflicts must be tackled as per law of the land and the demands of justice to all, instead of being taken as a matter of deliberate and indiscriminate injustice, should be meted out to any caste or community or region or minority. The costs of political tourism in times of social or political crisis have to be assiduously assessed to make the nation progress is the assertion of Team Modi. The Prime Minister is interested in placing development at the centre-stage of any game likely to impact governance and the nation’s future; he views politics as an instrument of service to the people, particularly, to the weak or those who are unable to help themselves in changing their life conditions and opportunities, instead of as a mean of self-aggrandisement or as a stepping stone to power or both.

This, in his vision, is possible by transforming India and Indian culture by freeing it from the clutches of poverty, illiteracy, disease, unemployment and other arenas of hindrance to human progress. He is against politicisation of caste and religion in order to create cleavages or strengthen them for the sake of gaining or retaining power. He wants Indians to judge Governments on the basis of performance, on the promises made in the manifesto by their political parties.

So, the political choices should be guided and determined by what qualitative and quantitative change the policies of the Government have caused to their lives rather being engaged in the debates that distract the attention of the Government and the nation from development and positive change. Contentious issues like who is secular and who is not or who is tolerant and who is not, are perennial in nature, especially in a plural context of the polity and the society. On the other side, Team Opposition sees, in this paradigm, a ground for its sure defeat.

Hence, perpetuation of the politics of caste, minorityism and social justice mired in social conflict are rules of priority in the opposition parties’ scheme. That is how they have been in seat of victory for most of the time in the post-independence India.

Thus, the present-day politics in India can be seen as a fight between two paradigms; one, for the positive change of political, social, economic and cultural life of India, and the other of status quo of its model of politics and governance. Modi’s team represents the first group of players and the Opposition’s team represents the latter group. With the kind of churning India is undergoing today, it seems the developmental paradigm will ultimately have the day.

The social merchants who play caste and religious (read minority) card will have to yield place to the modern political language of enhancing the access opportunities to equality, justice and freedom by enhancing the capabilities, capacities and confidence of all, rich and the poor alike — and, therefore, the agents of development are likely to win the game at the end.

(The writer is a senior consultant in public administration, IGNOU, New Delhi)