 "UP, Goa polls force BJP, RSS to rein in hardliners")
Two developments on Wednesday underscored how the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) top brass and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership are working in tandem to isolate Hindutva hardliners within the larger Sangh Parivar.
According to sources, the periodic engagement between the RSS and BJP leaderships, particularly between party chief Amit Shah and RSS number two Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi, has helped in the Sangh develop empathy for the party's political compulsions, particulary as BJP prepares for crucial assmebly polls in Goa, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. "These meetings have made RSS appreciate BJP's political challenges, particularly the party's need to reach out to its non-traditional support base," a BJP leader, who didn't want to be named, said.
With barely six months to go for the Goa assembly elections, the RSS today sacked its Goa chief. Subhash Velingkar had been criticizing the state's BJP government for its decision to provide funds to English medium schools, most of which are run by the sizeable Christian community of Goa. Velingkar was sacked after consultations between Shah and Joshi, sources said. Velingkar and his supporters had also shown black flags to the BJP chief during his visit to Goa on August 20.
In another development, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia issued a statement on Wednesday that expressed confidence that the Modi government was taking effective steps to ban export of beef. Earlier this month, Togadia had slammed the PM for being anti-Hindu for his comments that 80 per cent 'gau rakshaks', or so called cow protectors, were involved in criminal activities. Togadia's change of heart, sources said, came after he was spoken to by the RSS leadership.
Togadia had then accused the Modi government of encouraging cow slaughter. But in a placatory statement, Togadia today said: "We have complete confidence that there are cow worshippers in the union government and BJP who have the welfare of cows close to their hearts," he said. Incidentally, cow slaughter is allowed in Goa.
Both developments come in the wake of the PM having snubbed elements in the Sangh Parivar on the issue of canonization of Mother Teresa. These elements didn't want the government to send any delegation to the Vatican to attend the mass on September 4 where Pope Francis is to declare Mother Teresa a Catholic saint. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will represent the Government of India at the ceremony.
These efforts, sources said, were consistent with the BJP's efforts to reach out to non-traditional support among dalits and Christians. The BJP would need support of dalit communities if it is to do well in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly polls, as also that of the Christian community if it has to return to power in Goa. Elections to these states, along with Punjab and Manipur, are due by February-March 2017.
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The PM's comments on 'gau rakshaks', while having offended the party's core Hindutva supporters, were aimed at assuaging the hurt among dalits at the recent attacks on community youths in Gujarat and other places in the country.
At a meeting of the BJP's Rajya Sabha members of Parliament on Wednesday, the PM advised them to reach out to those sections of society that have not been traditional supporters of the BJP, particularly among the poor and deprived sections of the society.