NEW DELHI: Delhi goes to the polls tomorrow, again. My sister is complaining that each time that indelible mark on her finger is finally set to disappear, it’s time to get inked, again. For me, the anxiety is less to do with unsightly nails, and more to do with the fact that we, the people of Delhi, may be on the brink of making a colossal political mistake.
My sister is voting for the BJP. #PMModiCMBedi, she says. It makes me quiver -- If we start voting on the basis of who is in power at the centre, democracy can be damned (and with it, federalism). “Give me a reason to vote for the BJP” I ask her while she aimlessly files her nails. “Modi is a strong leader” she says. He’s the Prime Minister damnit! He will be strong irrespective of who gets elected in Delhi. The logic (rather lack of) astounds me.
If you’re reading this and are voting for the BJP tomorrow, please comment with why. In the meanwhile, I can tell you why I am NOT voting for the BJP.
1. Kiran Bedi
The fact that this lady doesn’t know her own mind is partly the reason why I will not vote for the BJP. Remember when she declared she is absolutely, under no circumstances, interested in politics?
Any way, the reason Bedi irks me has little to do with her current political stint. Back when she Inspector General of Prisons (a very respectable police rank) she refused to supply condoms to prisoners in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, on the grounds that homosexuality was illegal under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The prevention of HIV/AIDS be damned. In fact, Bedi -- contrary to evidence that HIV/AIDS was very much a reality in Tihar Jail -- said that consensual homosexual behaviour was virtually unknown at Tihar and that usage of condoms would promote homosexuality.
The fact that this same person -- who will let one of the deadliest diseases known to us at the present time, spread because instituting measures that will provide some protection are in contradiction her moral centre and selective use of the law -- is possibly going to be the Chief Minister of my city, worries me.
2. The moral police
I have objections to the BJP as a party. These objections have to do with party’s usurpation of the role of the country’s moral police. There is a BJP government in Maharashtra and the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have vowed to take actions action against All India Bakchod and a host of film personalities for a hilarious roast that was posted on YouTube. YouTube has also been charged in the police complaint! The video has since been pulled down. 1- BJP government in Maharashtra, 0 - humankind.
Do we want this sort of censorship in Delhi? Not only is regressive, it’s completely skewed in terms of priorities.
If you think *big deal* (there are all sorts of weirdos in this world), then remember that it was the BJP government in Karnataka that imposed an 11 PM curfew. If you vote for the BJP and can’t find a place that stays open for a drink post midnight, you only have yourself to blame. Thanks for dragging down this city (and those of us who knew better).
If you’re still not convinced, let me remind you that the BJP is the same party that welcomed Pramod Muthalik - the same Muthalik who founded the Sri Ram Sena - the same Sena that attacked a group of women at a pub in Mangalore in 2009 (why? Because women shouldn’t be out drinking), and targeted couples (whilst distributing mangalsutras) on Valentine’s Day.
It’s also the same party whose MP Yogi Adityanath claimed that “Love Jihad” was an international conspiracy targeting India. Adityanath said that young Muslim boys were tricking non-Muslim girls to convert to Islam by feigning love. Yes because Hindus and Muslims cannot actually get along, or worst still *shudder* fall in love (please note the sarcasm). If you see any logic in this position, you deserve Yogi Adityanath as your Chief Minister, just please don’t force it upon the rest of us.
3. Trilokpuri
Remember the violence in Trilokpuri? I’m willing to bet that you don’t. In October last year, communal violence gripped this quiet locality in east Delhi. Reports suggest that the riots that broke out were part of a conspiracy in which “former BJP MLA Vaid’s role needs to be thoroughly and impartially investigated.” A meeting called by Vaid on Diwali night has been identified by many as the trigger for the violence that followed. The result, a few days ahead of the polls, and the BJP has gained strength in the locality.
There is this image that is being circulated on social media by BJP voters:
The irony is stark. The BJP’s strategy has been to divide and rule (Muzaffarnagar, anyone? The 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and BJP leader Amit Shah’s inciteful speeches played a major role in sailing the BJP to a victory in UP in the 2014 General Elections.)
I am not voting for the BJP because I do not want to relay the message that this divisive strategy pays off.
4. Friends from the northeast are Indians, not immigrants
The BJP’s vision document for Delhi refers to people from the northeast as “immigrants.” This is the same city that beat to death a student from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Taniam, for the way he looked. The same city fatally attacked Shaloni from Manipur. The same city where a young man from Nagaland, Wilungbou Chawang, was found dead in a drain as the result of a suspected hate crime.
Immigrants by definition are “people who come to live permanently in a foreign country.” The entire problem with the racism of Delhi is the inability to assimilate people from other parts of the country. We want to vote into power a party that (inadvertently even) referred to a large section of this city’s population -- who are routinely discriminated against -- as “immigrants” and not Indians? Not me.
5. Women’s safety
Delhi is touted the “rape capital of the world.” More than anything else, I want to live in a city which is safe for women (so that I can stop picking up my sister at unearthly hours at her beck and call, amongst other more weighty reasons).
In fact, incidents of rape in New Delhi have increased by 25 percent in the last seven months (and Delhi, technically, is under central rule in this interim period).
Are we really going to place the fate of the women in our city in the hands of a party whose political representatives have made the following remarks?
Women should dress decently to avoid rape: Haryana’s Chief Minister, BJP’s Manohar Lal Khattar said, If a girl is dressed decently, a boy will not look at her in the wrong way… If you want freedom, why don't they just roam around naked? Freedom has to be limited. These short clothes are western influences. Our country's tradition asks girls to dress decently.”
Rape is sometimes right, sometimes wrong: BJP’s Babulal Gaur stoked a controversy when he said, “It [rape] is a social crime which depends on the man and the woman. It is sometimes right and sometimes wrong.”
Women should not dress provocatively: BJP leader and then Madhya Pradesh Industries minister Kailash Vijavargiya said "Women's fashion, lifestyle and conduct should be in accordance with Indian culture… women should not wear clothes that provoke others ( to misbehave with them )." Referring to the Guwahati molestation case he also said " Women should dress in such a way that they invoke respect in others. However, unfortunately women are dressing provocatively which is leading to deviation in society."
Women are baby-making machines. “I want to tell my Hindu mothers and sisters that if they don’t have five children, there will be no equilibrium in India in future. Don’t misunderstand me. To protect Hinduism and Sanatan Dharma, it is necessary for all Hindus to give birth to five children” -- BJP leader Shymal Goswami.
Remember, the BJP government put up 15,000 CCTV cameras for US President Barack Obama’s visit. Women’s safety is clearly not as important.