The National Executive of the BJP at which Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his views exposed the mental schism in the party. When Modi took on the reins of the government, he spoke of development, employment generation and emphasized Indianness. There was little about Hindutva. The focus was on building a new India laying stress on innovation, investment and entrepreneurship. But by now Modi’s development agenda appears to have been driven to the corner. There is a lot of frothy and irresponsible talk on Hindutva and orthodoxy. Freedom of speech on the part of Hindutva leaders has degenerated into filthy abuse. The RSS and the VHP lead the bizarre show. The modernistic attitude of the BJP, the political arm of the Sangh parivar, under Atal Bihari Vajpayee seems to have retreated into the background.
Of course, the BJP is pulled by contradictory forces in two different directions. This schism is not merely confined to ideas and ideology. It may be that Hindutva and the hyper nationalism of the Sangh parivar have given a boost to the BJP in the political arena. The ruling party cannot abandon RSS orthodoxy as it has sprung from the RSS and earlier the Hindu Mahasabha. But Narenda Modi cannot give up his goal of development and his concept of one nation. The BJP cannot follow both the RSS and the modern agendas. The time has come for it to make a choice. Its future depends on it. The lessons to be drawn from the Vajpayee government cannot be ignored. It is good that Modi has again praised the composite culture of India, different strings of a musical instrument which produce a rhythmic cohesion.