SHILLONG, Jan 7: The BJP has caught itself on the wrong foot and its attempt to project itself as a secular party suffered a blow in Meghalaya just the time the state is going to the hustings.
The state unit of the saffron party, however, sought to downplay the effect of the Church fiasco which has spilled over from Assam.
The fact that the party has rubbed the public sentiment the wrong way just before the polls in the Christian-majority state baffles people irrespective of different backgrounds.
The turn of events from such as attack on Christians in Chhatisgarh and Church controversy in Assam have angered the Christians. The ruckus aftermath of the leaked letter of the Special Branch SP of Assam seeking a list of all the churches and rate of conversion to Christianity in neighboring Assam has caused enough embarrassment to the party.
Archrivals TMC and the Congress have targeted the saffron party over the issue though BJP has sought to write off the issue.
“It won’t affect the BJP. We have already clarified and also discussed with our central leaders about the Chhattisgarh incident. We hope that the truth will come out,” State BJP president Ernest Mawrie said.
Referring to the Chhattisgarh incident, he said it was a clash between Hindu and Christian adivasis and it is the duty of the Congress government and police of that state to protect the Christians minority. He also said that the BJP should not be blamed for the incident.
Talking about the letter of the Assam Special Bureau SP, he said, “Letter issued was marked secret and it is never marked like that in an official letter. It is either market as confidential or top priority”.
Mawrie said his party had immediately demanded an inquiry from the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has also disassociated himself and his government from the letter saying it was not issued from the Assam government but perhaps by the SP individually.
Claiming that there was not even a single letter from the Christian residents of Assam on the issue, he said, “Elections is knocking on the doors and other political parties, especially the Congress and the TMC they may make it an issue if they want”.
He further said the TMC and the Congress are out to make it an issue. To substantiate his comment, Mawrie said the TMC vice president went on to comment that the IB is monitoring the Christians in the Northeast.
“Such a comment is being made for election propaganda,” he added.
Meanwhile, social activist and political commentator, Toki Blah, feels the issue is going to hurt BJP from political point of view.
“The repercussions will be very bad. The BJP has been very hopeful for a strong comeback or resurgence in Meghalaya but the party’s ambition looks unlikely to be fulfilled,” he said.
Blah said BJP has been unmasked and its intolerant mindset is exposed.
The same sentiment is echoed by Political Science professor, Batskhem Myrboh, who said, “It is very clear that the BJP is not a secular party. I won’t hesitate to say that as the party ideology is based on Hindu nationalism”.
Myrboh said the saffron party draws inspiration from the RSS. “BJP’s double standards are for everyone to see. It can’t befool people, who are well aware of its agenda.”
He said candidate’s charisma plays big role in Meghalaya, where party identity is diminished by individual aura. Citing the case of Congress leader Vincent H Pala, he said the politician won with a record two lakh votes in Khasi and Jaintia Hills despite his party’s weak position. “BJP’s attempt to paint itself as a secular party has failed in Meghalaya where 70 plus percent of people are Christians”.
He, however, said, “When we talk about elections, the outcome is unpredictable. One plus one can be four or five. People are conscious and mindful of every happening.”
