The struggles of minority in modern India
People of India yearned to have a better change when they were fed up of rampant corruption that soared up all over the country during the long regime of the Congress dynasty. Then the BJP became the major alternative political party with commitment for innovative development programs. People of India chose the BJP to power with aspiration to get liberated from slavery of poverty, have self sufficiency, economic growth and development. With diligence the Saffron party rose to power in 2014 and got reelected in 2019 with a comfortable majority in Lok Sabha while the Congress was nearly completely decimated. It strengthened position even in the northeast and Nagaland. The slogans and catch phrases, ‘acche din anne wala hai’ and ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ and good governance were systematically disseminated to attract and connect with the grass root level people.
However, when ‘acche din’ arrived, religious minorities had to face persecutions in various places of India. Hidden agenda became open agenda. The Christians were often persecuted, their Churches vandalized and ostracized with false allegations of paid bribery for and forced conversions of Hindu believers into Christianity. The Dalits or SCs(Scheduled Castes)are placed at the lowest echelon of the Hindu society which is divided into four castes. They are the Bhramin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra.
The Dalits are also known as the untouchables or the harijans who have been apprehensive of re-invocation of high castes dominion. They get converted to Christianity to get freedom from the evils of untouchability and oppression of the higher Hindu castes. Some people are thirsty researching the truth until they realize it. Higher Hindu Castes also get converted when they discover the true light in the Christianity. So both the castes get converted to Christianity on their own. Beef consumers were assaulted by ‘gai rakshak’ or cow volunteers; forced ghar wapsi and hate speech increased. Price of goods and commodities kept on hiking and inflating. Big public sector units were privatized. Many industries and factories were closed down and lakhs of people became jobless and landed to footpaths. Thus ‘acche din’ were actually not ‘acche din’ but ‘bure din’ for people in distress.
The narrative that if the saffron party secured 400 seats in the approaching Lok Sabha elections (May/June 2024) would alter the constitution of India created terror in the minds of the religious minorities and backward classes. Construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya was viewed as the Epicenter for achieving the goal of Hindu Rashtra. If ever secular democracy is replaced with Hindu theocracy then there will be reformation of rigid Hindu castes system. Hinduism will be declared as official religion of Bharat that is India. And once again it will take India to thousands years backward where Hindu Babas as spiritual leaders will take the upper hands in the society. Under a theocracy the right to freedom of religion is not provided to its citizens and practice of other faiths other than the official one is unlawful and punishable.
The modern world has experienced that only proper democracy can guarantee, provide, protect and promote the rights of the most unprivileged, the untouchables and the minorities who are not less the citizens of the country. The right to freedom of religion is envisaged in the Article 25 of the constitution of India that guarantees to its citizens; the freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion.
The ruling political party in Nagaland is compelled to support the ruling party at the centre as it entirely relies on the central government for fund. NDPP acted rightly in allying with the NDA led by BJP that has been ruling at the centre. Likewise many other smaller political parties from other states were also constituent units of the alliance.
However, secular parties had faced tough times to function as allied partners during the last tenures. They had to fight and protect the identities of their separate entities and simultaneously speak for their people but had to face criticisms from them.
We should appreciate the NDA government for all the innovative programs and schemes and projects that have benefitted our people. Four lanes construction, smart city projects, CSS and funds directly accredited to beneficiaries bank accounts and the likes. Modi government kept on carrying out good governance and various government programs for NE development. However, incitement of communal violence and persecution of religious minorities by religious fanatics have increased in our country.
Moreover, the people of India had not lightly taken the mayhem in Manipur that began in May 2023 in which thousands of houses were razed down to ashes, hundreds of people were killed, over fifty thousand people became homeless and over 300 churches were burnt down.
BJP secured 303 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha elections while in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 240 seats decreased by 63 seats and failed to reach majority mark of 273 while the Congress won 99 seats increased by 45 seats. NDA won 292 seats and formed the government for consecutive 3rd time while I.N.D.I.A. bloc together won 232 seats. In NE region BJP won 12 seats, Congress 8 seats and others 4 seats. Communal violence, the narratives that ‘the constitution of India is in danger’ and ‘a need to jointly protect the same’, rise of unemployment and sky rocketing price, that the ‘OBCs and Dalits’ would be deprived of job reservation and others were colossal problems and issues that mustered peoples’ discontentment. Thus the verdict of the people decided the fate of the political parties and their candidates.
The ongoing political scenario indicates that the NDPP as the largest political party in Nagaland has the biggest opportunity to survive the next tenures. Some smaller parties may become bigger, some remain stagnant and some will be decimated. The saffron party has already commenced downhill journey towards its nadir. It will not be easy for the same to heal the already hurt sentiment and win back the hearts of the people. Our people are not against any political party or social organization but it pains us to know our fellow Christians being persecuted.
The results of the recent Lok Sabha elections have proves that the majority of the people of India will neither ever think of dumping the secular constitution of India drafted under the leadership of Dr. BR Ambedkar for Hindu theocracy. Nor they will ever forget their freedom fighters struggled and sacrificed their lives to free India from the clutch of the British rule.
Kvuchilo Thong
This article is originally published on https://nagalandpost.com/index.php/2024/07/30/the-struggles-of-minority-in-modern-india/
