Sudheendra Kulkarni, the former media advisor to Atal Behari Vajpayee and Lalchand Kishinchand Advani, has an interesting piece in today’s Indian Express on the BJP, post-Uttar Pradesh elections. Kulkarni, who was the author of Advani’s so-called pro-Jinnah speech, joins issue with an article in the RSS mouthpiece Organiser that says the BJP would have had better electoral success with “an aggressive Hindutva approach”. He says this was was the same excuse that was reeled out even when the NDA lost May 2004, that the BJP had abandoned Hindutva.
“If Mayawati‘s triumphant and praise-worthy concept of Sarvajan Samaj (all-inclusive society) has a place for Muslims, why is the BJP so queasy about accommodating Muslims in its own strategy? Why didn’t the BJP field a single Muslim candidate in any of the 403 Assembly constituencies in a State where Muslims constitute 18.5 per cent of the popuplation? The party has some justification in criticising its political opponents for Muslim “appeasement”, but is it practising its own precept—namely, Justice for All—when it neither takes up any just issues of Indian Muslims nor feels morally and ideologically obliged to give due democratic representation to such a huge section of Indian society? How can BJP hope to govern India if it continues to have an emotional disconnect with Indian Muslims?”
How, indeed? Tell.
Read the full article: How can BJP govern India minus Muslims?
churumuri 
BJP leadership and even their supporters claim themselves to be educated, intellectual whatnot… but the truth is that they are nothing but a bunch of hatemongers. When BSP a party supposed to be of lowcast ignorent daydreamers, opposed to everything brahmin spported BJP stands for, can shed its narrow policy and reorient itself to inclusive party.. BJP is relesing hate propoganda CD and giving print ad equating muslims with PAK Irada slogans. How petty and mean minded can the so called educated class BJP can be.
How can a party be think of ruling a country with a divisive state of mind? Do the BJP not think how can they be represenive of people when it hate so much a section of people. Is election by itself a democracy? or is it just a group or set of groups banded for 51% electrate, can forever subjucate the other 49% set of electrotae? Is this the democracy India stands for? A buch of castes coming together to subjugagte the other bunch of castes?
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Of course the BJP can win without Muslims. Perhaps you intended to ask: Should it? I think not.
I’d like every party, BJP included, to have an inclusive agenda. It is not good for our democracy that any party is so partisan as to have an exclusivist social agenda, leaving out entire communities. I agree with Zulfi on that count.
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Mr. Kulkarni’s article is worth a reading and like Mani’s candid admission for a rethink on Govt. policy, is also revolutionary and at the right time. It is time BJP take the majority of sane and level headed Muslims into confidence and take up its cause in all fora. That way it will win a tremendous goodwill (Vote) from all sections of the population.
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BJP managed to win in Gujrat without Muslim votes. Any state – BJP wins, it is without Muslims votes.
With the image BJP has created over time – factual & fictitious, it would be hard to imagine muslims voting for BJP by an amount that matters.
Now, will it get full majority in the parliament? quite difficult with or without Muslims votes – ‘cuz the caste & regional issues take priority in many states to let a single party cruise to the majority.
And I say – its the beauty of democracy in India.
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Not in million years can BJP win without Muslims. BJP is non existent like Congress in UP. Change or else perish.
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The “can BJP win?” question is meaningless. It has already won several elections not only without Muslim support but even with Muslims earnestly voting against it. But it is ofcourse not desirable. Political parties should address the concerns of all people. But as long as the alleged Minority appeasement flourishes, there will be little incentive for the BJP to reach out to the Muslims. The number of people who may vote for BJP disgusted at such appeasement politics is likely to be far greater than the number of Muslims who might vote for it at this point of time. Its a vicious cycle which is not going to benefit any one.
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Please wait and see. Muslims will burn/blast them self out.
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Muslims constitute no more than 15% of the electorate. In some constituencies, their vote decides the winner. But, it is a fallacy to say that Muslims vote en bloc and without the Muslim vote, BJP will win. Best example, my constituency, Bangalore North. Sangliana won because the Muslim vote was neatly split between the CM Ibrahim and Jaffer Sharief. In UP, the above proposition may hold true. But it means nothing in most other states. Example: The last 15 years in Indian politics.
OTOH, the BJP has been losing because it has not formed the right alliances, or its allies ended up on the losing side due to anti-incumbency (Naidu, Jayalalitha, Akali Dal, Shiv Sena). It is just a matter of careful alignment with the right OBC party that will see the NDA, and the BJP, in power next time.
Oh and they can also hope that inflation remains above 6% for another couple of years.
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Every one is talking about minorities in india . Have u ever talked about the conditions or the status of hindus living in Pakistan or in Bangladesh .Im not against the muslims in india, im against the so called secualarist’s in india. If something happens to muslims or christians whole family of secularist’s come forward and start to shout against the sangh parivar and ofcourse the BJP. What bjp is doing is not a harm to indias integrity or unity. Talking about uniform civilcode is not a bad thing , dont’u people want the state jammu and kashmirshould be treat like any ohter states in india, reservations in name of cast/tibe or religion should be stopped. The growing population in india! everybody knows which section of india is contributing more , Do CONGRESS have the guts to do this ? i think no in this janam. If the BJP comes to power without any parties support they will do this and im sure about this.
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