Mr Modi, Be Like Subhas Bose, Not Mahatma Gandhi
By Engineer Shyam Sundar Poddar, MBA
Gandhi was an expert at exploiting people’s weaknesses over a long period. Knowing the Hindu community’s emotional attachment to the cow, Gandhi repeatedly declared throughout his life that once India became independent, his first task would be to impose a ban on cow slaughter. Ordinary Hindus rallied behind Gandhi in the hope that he would fulfil his promise and stop cow slaughter.
When India became independent, Rajendra Prasad approached Gandhi with ten lakh postcards sent by people urging him to fulfil his promise. He expected Gandhi to honour his commitment and secure a ban on cow slaughter. Gandhi replied, “How can I do that? How can I stop people who eat beef?”
Gandhi’s greatest betrayal was his declaration that the partition of India would take place only over his dead body. The Congress could not have won the people’s support without making such statements. Yet the country was partitioned because the Congress could not have come to power without agreeing to the division of India.
You, too, did not launch a movement against the Congress, like Arvind Kejriwal, merely to come to power. Instead, you gave hope to the millions of young people suffering from severe unemployment in the country. You promised, “I will provide two crore jobs every year.” Young people believed they would get jobs and voted for you, making you the Prime Minister.
You also declared that politicians had enormous amounts of money deposited in Swiss banks. You said that if you brought that money back, there would be enough to give every citizen ₹15 lakh. People believed you would bring back all the money from Swiss banks and that they, too, would receive ₹15 lakh.
Do Not Become Another V. P. Singh
Do not become another V. P. Singh. He claimed, “I have a document in my pocket proving that someone is a Bofors swindler.” To this day, that document has never been made public.
Rajiv Gandhi showed the country a new path. He ushered in the computer revolution, strengthened Panchayati Raj, and helped channel funds to poor people in villages. He reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, giving young people a greater role in democracy.
Rajiv Gandhi was a leader of the opposition and had the status of a Cabinet Minister. His life was threatened by the LTTE, yet his security was reduced to that of a single constable. He was subsequently assassinated.
The Ram Temple Movement and the Role of the VHP
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), according to the author, had no significant role in the Ram Temple movement apart from raising money.
The idols inside the disputed structure at Ayodhya were installed in 1949 by Mahant Digvijay Nath. In 1986, the locks of the structure were opened following a court case initiated by the Hindu Mahasabha. After the locks were opened, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad entered the movement.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya, whose Ramalaya Trust was a respondent in the Ram Temple case, stated in a television interview that after Mulayam Singh Yadav ordered police firing on the kar sevaks, Muslim leaders approached him and said:
“Please allow us to visit the Ram Temple once. If there really are Kasauti stone pillars there, with figures of Hindu deities carved on them, we will withdraw the case.”
The Ram Temple could have been built at that point. However, the author alleges that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad did not genuinely want the temple to be built.
Ashok Singhal reportedly stated that Muslims had been prohibited from entering the site since 1950. The author alleges that the disputed structure was demolished and the site levelled, rather than allowing the matter to be resolved through dialogue and legal proceedings.
According to this criticism, the organisation’s interests were served by keeping the dispute alive. The author argues that its objective was to ensure that Muslims could not offer prayers at the site and that the resulting conflict would continue, allowing organisations to collect money from the Hindu community in the name of the movement.
P. V. Narasimha Rao arranged for an idol of Ram Darbar from the royal family of Ayodhya to be installed on the levelled ground. A tent was erected overnight, and a makeshift temple was established for Lord Ram. According to the author, this move undermined the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s strategy by establishing a place of worship where Muslims could no longer offer namaz.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad continued its agitation and, the author alleges, collected crores of rupees.
The author further alleges that the attack on the Ram Janmabhoomi site was a terrorist attack carried out under the pretext of liberating the birthplace of Lord Ram. Sonia Gandhi’s government, according to the author, arranged for a bulletproof enclosure and three tin-roofed sheds to be constructed.
In the name of the Ram Temple, the RSS, BJP and Vishwa Hindu Parishad allegedly collected not merely crores but billions of rupees.
The author argues that the alleged financial exploitation associated with the Ram Temple movement represents a serious loss to the Hindu community, particularly after the temple’s construction.
In his view, the RSS, BJP and VHP have brought disgrace upon Hinduism. He alleges that money has become their overriding concern and that their leaders are preoccupied with financial gain rather than religious principles.
Mr Modi, Do Not Take Credit for Everything
Mr Modi, you do not win elections entirely on your own strength.
The BJP ruled Bihar for 15 years and claimed credit for the state’s development while asking people to vote for it. You warned voters that a return to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rule would be disastrous.
Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, you warned voters that Akhilesh Yadav’s rule might return.
In the previous Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the BJP won, according to the author, partly because of mistakes made by Akhilesh Yadav. At his rallies, slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” were reportedly raised. The author argues that this helped the BJP secure victory.
Why do you not arrest Asaduddin Owaisi and his brother? They continually challenge and intimidate the Hindu community, while the BJP expects Hindus to keep looking towards it for protection.
Follow the Example of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose acted on what he said. Unlike Gandhi, the author argues, he did not deceive people with unfulfilled promises.
Bose declared:
“Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!”
He backed his words with action and led an armed struggle for India’s independence.
Mr Modi, the message is simple: Do not merely make promises to win people’s trust. Be like Subhas Chandra Bose, who called upon the people to make sacrifices and backed his words with action.