PROMISES are made only to be forgotten when the times come to keep them, but when made by politicians and political parties one does not know whether it is a promise that will come true in the course of time or a sweet pill that once in the mouth melts to its original bitterness.
Riding high on the large presence of people on day two of “Praja Sangrama Yatra’ Bandi Sanjay Kumar, State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party( BJP) organisers of Yatra talked sweetly promising the moon to the people of Hyderabad. Casting bate full of goodies to the old city folks from bringing in the metro train to the run-up to iconic Falaknuma and jobs opportunities for both Hindus and Muslims with out any discrimnation.
The 36-days long Yatra organised to boost the party’s chances in the coming 2023 state assembly elections, Mr. Sanjasy will be walking each day a distance of about 10-15 KM to cover 33 districts and eleven Mandals of Telangana telling the voters how corrupt the present TRS government has been and how it failed to keep the promises made. And obvious to the reality that hired crowds don’t stick for long, media reports that during the long walk that is scheduled to end on October 2, he will be accompanied by a limited number of persons.
Such vote-hunting Yatras have proved ominous in the past, there is still bitterness in the Indian polity about the manner in which the 1992 BJP Rath Yatra lead by Mr. Advani ended and the proceeding tragic event and the bloody communal riots that greatly tarnished the image of the country.
One would wish that this Yatra of Mr. Bandi Sanjay Kumar would have no such traction, and surely one has to wait and watch how it ends, but going by the place chosen to flag off the Yatra and the speeches made thereafter on Saturday one harbours strong fears and apprehensions whether Mr. Kumar will be able to really deliver upon his promises of keeping on course the existing exemplary communal peace and harmony that the citizens Hyderabad and the state enjoy.
Frankly, his comments reported in the media on day two of the Yatra do not augur well for the future and leaves one in doubts and fears that if at all the BJP gets to rule the state the affairs will mirror the kind of governance states ruled by BJP.
Starting the Yatra from the BhagayaLaxmi Temple Charminar, hoisting the Saffaron flag atop Golconda, holding the very first meeting after getting power at the disputed Bhagayalaxmi Temple appear to be the usual BJP toxic electioneering tactics of communalizing the electorate for votes.
The flagging off from the state assembly building instead of the disputed site would have given the BJP a more positive image than it has got for itself in the country. And again hoisting the saffron flag on Golconda carries significance baggage so also the first public meeting if a big if, his party gets to govern the state to be held at the BhagayaLaxmi Temple are reflections of how deep communization of politics runs in BJP-RSS that the party will bring into play in the state.
Despite Godi Media, Social media has exposed the poor law and order situation prevailing in the BJP governed states, the mob lynching of Muslims and Dalits, destruction of places of worship belonging to Muslims and Christians, rapes and molestations of Dalit women going unpunished, and the quick bails given by the local court to the perpetrators.
Strange Mr. Kumar seems to be oblivious to the gross injustices done to Muslims and other minorities with regards to jobs and business opportunities in BJP ruled states. And unabashedly assures of equal chances of development for Muslims in a state that has presently no such a situation. Mr. Kumar should look within before asking the people of Hyderabad about 2BHK houses, about 10,000/ of how many promises made to the nation have been kept by the Prime Minister.
The state BJP should rest be assured that a very few of the people of the State, “Will walk into your parlour.’