Shashi Tharoor accuses BJP of practising a malignant form of nationalism
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There is a rise of majoritarianism under the BJP rule, speakers at a panel discussion on religious nationalism and majoritarian democracy said. The virtual discussion was organised by the Dravidian Professionals Forum.
“There is a malignant form of nationalism being practised by the BJP. Mr. Narendra Modi [the Prime Minister] did not govern on what he campaigned in 2014 but ruled based on exclusionary practices. After 2019, they have taken the licence to be far more majoritarian, far more direct in imposing their view of Hindutva…,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said.
He said the government had turned Parliament into a notice board, one that is not interested in debate and accountability. He said there was also a view that if the BJP felt that it would not win the 2024 election, it might move fast to increase the number of seats in Parliament, reapportioning a larger number of seats to the Hindi-heartland States, and even amend the Constitution.
Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, DMK MLA and Finance Minister, said fake news media had very little outcomes in Tamil Nadu, compared with other parts of the country, and it was the right-wing upper caste, upper economic strata not connected to the daily economic activity, thinking that they were warriors of the Hindutva brigade, who were influenced by the right wing propaganda. “Even as they [the BJP] think that they are controlling the media, it just doesn’t work especially in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, definitely did not work in West Bengal.”
Christophe Jaffrelot, research director, Sciences PO, said there was a decline in checks and balances, and this was evident from the manner in which officials were appointed to such agencies as the Election Commission, the RBI, the CBI and the NIA. He said these were friends of the government.
He questioned the manner in which the Supreme Court functioned since 2017 till recently, not questioning the government on any issue. “The Pegasus revelations can reveal the blackmailing of this domain,” he said. If the judiciary was not questioning the government, it was not good for democracy. He said there was a rise of electoral authoritarianism, something coming from the legitimacy provided by elections.
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