The Danger of BJP’s Doublespeak

One of the most common responses of the BJP to criticism is to cite examples of similar deviation by the Congress.  For example, tell them that communal disharmony is on the rise after the party came to power and they will quickly cite the riots that followed Indira Gandhi’s assassination or other similar instances.  Tell them now that the imposition of President’s rule in Uttarakhand just a day prior to the scheduled trust vote is a cynical subversion of democracy and they will point to the imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi. 

The BJP came to power promising us DIFFERENCE.  It promised us DEVELOPMENT.  It gave us dreams about a country that will fly on the wings of science and technology.  It promised us cleanliness.  We dreamt about RS 15 lakh in the accounts of each one of us, the black money brought back from wherever that is stashed away.

While we dreamt, Vijay Mallya escaped with Rs 9000 crore from our banks!

Nothing has changed, in fact.  As Arun Shourie, a BJP man himself, said, the BJP is just the Congress plus the cow.   That is, we got one more enslaving icon for the nation that is already overcrowded with idols. 

Uttarakhand follows Arunachal Pradesh where the Congress govt was replaced with a BJP-backed one recently.  We are naturally left to suspect that similar processes may be repeated in many more states in future.  Educational institutions like universities are already being converted into right wing fortresses by appointing to the top positions people with Sangh parivar connections as well as by suppressing all forms of dissension.

Doublespeak has become an integral part of the present dispensation in Delhi.  There is a conspicuous gap between the real and the declared aims.  The hapless citizens are left with dreams while certain hidden agenda are overpowering their real lives with a marauding force. 

Describing the chief characteristic of doublespeak, Edward S. Herman, political economist and media analyst, wrote in his book, Beyond Hypocrisy, “What is really important in the world of doublespeak is the ability to lie, whether knowingly or unconsciously, and to get away with it; and the ability to use lies and choose and shape facts selectively, blocking out those that don’t fit an agenda or program.”

When the BJP tries to absolve itself by drawing parallels with the Congress, it forgets the simple fact that the Congress never had any fascist agenda.  The Congress was corrupt.  It helped its politicians mint money through fraudulence and chicanery.  It even made use of religious communities as vote banks.  But it never sought to establish any theocracy.  It never deceived itself with cultural hypocrisies.  It never believed in its own doublespeak. 

The Congress never made use of malicious propaganda.  It did not manufacture consent or create illusions, to use Noam Chomsky’s phrases.  It did not foster holy cows. 

Forging histories, manufacturing truths, suppressing dissent, imposing illusions on people... these make BJP a PARTY WITH A DIFFERENCE and what a pernicious difference it is!