An old video of BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy who has emerged as the face of hardcore Hindutva ideology in recent years, has now gone viral. In an interview with journalist Vinod Dua, Swamy lashed out at his present party, the BJP, by highlighting its hypocrisy and the saffron party’s attempts to bring down Indian Muslims.
Definition of nationalism
In the old video which went viral recently, Swamy is seen slamming the BJP saying that the BJP’s brand of nationalism is ‘totally negative’ adding that it’s designed to hurt Muslims’ interests. Swamy is heard saying in the video, “The problem with the BJP’s definition of nationalism is that it’s totally negative. It’s defined in terms of how much Muslims lose. All their programmes if you highlight, they are all oriented towards that.”
Hypocrisy on Article 370
Highlighting the hypocrisy of BJP on Article 370, Swamy says “Take for example Article 370. Now there’s similar Article 371, but they (the BJP) will never talk about that. That deals with North-East, which says the same thing.”
On Ayodhya issue
Regarding the Ayodhya dispute Swamy says, “Same thing with the Ram Mandir. They don’t talk about Kailash Mansarovar, which is even more pavitra (pious) for us. So, their (the BJP’s) whole programme is not in terms of any constructive programmes, but in terms of how Muslims can be brought down.”
Flip flop on the issues
The emergence of this video assumes importance as it also shows Swamy’s flip flop on the issues. Recently Swamy has supported abrogation of Article 370 and the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed land in Ayodhya, where a mosque existed until 6 December 1992. He has also suggested that the Indian government should acquire any disputed land provided it adequately compensated its owners.
According to Janta Ka Reporter, the video in question is taken from Swamy’s interview to Doordarshan in 1991, when he had appeared on the channel to discuss his Samajwadi Janata Party’s dismal performance in that year’s Lok Sabha polls. The report added that among other things, he had said that he will move ‘heaven and earth to see that the BJP doesn’t come to power.