Communal clashes occurred in 9 districts of Bihar in just 2 weeks. The state government has totally failed in dealing with it. Nitish Kumar will be greatly at loss due to this, while the saffron party will benefit from it. If the Nitish government fails to curb riots it would pay a heavy price. BJP will grab all its seats as it did with its allies in other states.
2019 elections are around the corner. Anyone can read the writing on the wall that Modi wave is longer prevalent. It is strongly felt by BJP leaders as well. This is the reason that saffron leaders are becoming restless. They are sure that neither Gujarat will give them all 62 seats nor UP will give 71 seats. The allies are leaving them one after another. Demonetization and GST have created anti-incumbency factor.
In this situation, if BJP is favoured by some quarters it is because it has presented itself with a particular colour. As the last resort, it is creating differences and promoting communal hatred in the name of Ram. If the BJP has won 71 seats out of 80 in 2014 it was not because of Modi wave but because of Muzaffarnagar riots. Now Bihar and Bengal are on the target. Mamata Banerjee has been dealing the situation with an iron hand in her state, but Bihar’s chief minister Nitish Kumar, in order to be called a good ruler, has failed to deal the situation wisely. Instead of arresting Union Minister and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Choubey’s son Arijit Shashwat, against whom FIR was lodged and the court issued an arrest warrant, Nitish Kumar in a press conference said police cannot arrest him.
Looking at the situation with political angle, it seems that it is the action replay of Muzaffarnagar riots. Riots one after another aim at dividing people on communal lines so that they cannot pay attention towards real problems. Besides it also tries that voter would vote only on the basis of religion rising above caste and creed. Meanwhile, remarks of BJP leaders are adding fuel to the fire. It also exposes the double standard of central government that it did not seek the report from Bihar government but brings West Bengal government into the witness box.
The whole scenario increases the responsibility of secular forces and parties. The only way to deal with this is United Front.