Author: Daya Prakash Sinha, I.A.S.
(Retd.)
Publication: BJP Today
Date: December 16-31, 2000
THE literary Hindi magazine 'Alochana'
had commenced publication some fifty years ago but ever since it has been
appearing in fits and starts. Recently it has started its regular publication.
The latest issue of the magazine is before me, which is designed as a special
number, containing a lead article titled "Fasiwad aur Sanskriti ka Sankat"
(Fascism and crisis of culture). Shri Namwar Singh, who was Alochana's
Chief Editor before it suspended publication, continues to be the Chief
Editor of the present issue as well. He is a well known and a leading member
of the intellectuals' group of the Communist parties.
In the preface to the issue the
good comrade has exhorted thus "Today, when fascism has actually arrived,
it is our duty to knock at every door. It is neither an intimation, nor
a mere warning, it is time to throw the gauntlet directly. The renewed
'Alochana' is the voice of this resistance -- not a solitary voice; a voice
in unison." The quoted comment makes it evident that the magazine has little
to do with literature, but is a weapon being used by the Communists in
their political battle.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has assumed
power at the Centre as mandated by the majority of Indians. Overawed by
the peoples' mandate the magazine resumed its publication to give the resurgent
forces a fight. Comrade Namwar Singh has mobilised a considerable number
of leftist writers to contribute to the issue who have heaped abuse on
the BJP to their hearts' content. They have used the epithet of 'Hindu
Fascism' time and again to malign the BJP. Like the words "reactionary"
and "imperialist" which were bandied for USA on the Russian Radio, before
the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the phrase 'Hindu Fascism' has
been used for the BJP in each and every piece of the magazine.
All the contributors to the issue
such as Sarvashri Khagendra Thakur (Bharat Men Fasiwad ka khatra), Prabhash
Joshi (Fasiwad ka Bharatiya Avatar), Raj Kishore (Bharatiya Fasiwad mein
Samajik Adhar), Pradeep Saxena (Fasiwad Ahaten Aspas), Rajendra Yadav (Vaicharik
Shunya mein Panapata Fasiwad), Harbans Muhiya (Rashtrawad ka Vikrit Rup
Hai Fasiwad), Aizaz Ahmad (Fasiwad ka Vikrit Rup), are committed Communist
writers who are extremely agitated over the coming into power of the BJP.
Other notable writers included are Sarvashri Pooran Chandra Joshi, Bhishma
Sahney, Mrinal Pandey, Vishnu Khare, Vinod Bharadwaj, Devendra Raj Ankur,
Rajesh Joshi, Manager Pande, and Manglesh Dabral.
The titles of the afore mentioned
articles will translate into English as "The Danger of Fascism in India",
"The Indian incarnation of Fascism", "The social basis of Indian Fascism",
"Foot steps of Fascism", "The Fascism Growing in Ideological Vaccum", "Fascism,
the distorted face of Nationalism" etc. These titles are indicative of
the ideological commitment and bias of the writers.
Ever since 1942 when the Communists
betrayed the country and fell flat on the feet of the British rulers opposing
the "Quit India Movement", they have enjoyed the fruits of power as brokers.
The British had shown favour to them in a variety of ways as a reward for
their 'loyalty'. The doors of government jobs were thrown open to them
like the proverbial magical door. They also entered into the universities.
The Leftists were appointed in the AIR in a considerable number. They were
sent abroad as members of delegations. The situation did not change even
after the attainment of freedom, because the first Prime Minister of free
India Jawahar Lal Nehru used to call himself a 'Leftist'. He made India
join the Soviet Camp during the cold war although openly he claimed himself
to be a non-aligned leader. All members of the communist intelligentsia
enjoyed the fruits of power even after independence because of the Russian
influence and made fortunes by taking advantage of their proximity to power.
Today, alas, they have suddenly lost the ground under their feet! Today
there is neither Congress, nor Deve Gowda, nor Inder Kumar Gujral to prop
them up. This sudden loss of power and self has made them look around and
ponder over a few questions. If 'Fascism (BJP)" has withdrawn the carpet
from underneath their feet, then what kind of Fascism it is? What is its
nature? What is the secret of its popularity? What is the source of it's
strength? Some samples of their discoveries are:
* The fascist threat to literature,
art and culture has not arisen suddenly. The Bharatiya Janata Party has
developed and expanded its cultural sinews quietly during the last decade.
* The Sangh Parivar murders the
truth by spreading rumours.
* These favourites of the Sangh
Parivar create terror and fear.
* The cultural nationalism of the
Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is a facade and a fraud. This in fact is Hindu
nationalism.
* Sangh Parivar is opposed to pluralistic
culture. And, they favour revival of the ancient culture.
* The BJP has an aversion for composite
and social culture. It only talks of Hindu culture.
* Sangh Parivar and international
capitalism are two sides of the same coin.
* There is a need to give a fight
to the religious and cultural Fascism at various levels.
* Soreman, a French economist, regarded
Hindutwa contrary to Indian history.
* Hindutwa is not Indian. This is
an imported political concept.
* Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is
a Fascist movement in nature and the organisations connected with it are
also not free from the curse.
* Now, it appears that it has entered
into the premises of our democracy and is on the verge of capturing it.
* The threat has increased because
they now command the leadership of those forces who control power.
* The assumption of power by the
BJP is in itself a danger.
* The threat of Fascism is no longer
an illusion, it is very much there and if it is not checked and pushed
back the face of democracy will be tarnished and the future of the people
would be jeopardised.
* The awareness about communalism
is created among the public sometime in the name of cow slaughter, sometime
by provoking riots, sometime through 'Ekatmata yajna', sometime by taking
out 'Ram Janaki Rath Yatra', sometime in the name of Ram temple and the
liberation of Ram and sometime through a campaign run through 'Ram Rath
Yatra.'
* It is difficult to push back the
BJP
* It (the BJP) wants to keep the
people unaware of the real problems of life in the name of Hindutwa and
by pitting them against the Muslims.
* The 'Varn Vyavastha' (the caste
system) is part and parcel of the fanaticism of the Hindus.
* The leftist concern for Fascism
and Nazism has increased. Sangh Parivar is an Indian incarnation of Fascism.
* The day the BJP forms its own
government at the centre a new kind of dictatorship would be established.
* Sanatana Dharma, the Indian Society
and Culture however could be saved from the poison of Fascism spread by
these people.
There is a tradition in some families
of Uttar Pradesh that at the time of arrival of the bridegroom's party
on the occasion of a marriage, the bride's family treats them with abusive
songs. The above rhetorics appear like such abusive treats on the arrival
of BJP to power.
Shri Ravi Bhushan in his article,
in the said issue titled 'Krantikari Vampanthi Shaktiyon ki jaroorat' (The
need of Revolutionary Leftist Forces) has called upon the leftist forces
to get united against the BJP. Bhishma Sahni has suggested the same strategy
to fight against Fascism in his article "Fasiwad se sangharsha ke liye
jaroori hai sudridh Janatantra" (A Strong Democracy needed to fight Fascism).
Majority of articles betray frustration
created out of their defeatist sentiments. Namwar Singh himself writes
in the preface- "Full one decade. Although a decade does not constitute
an era. However, if we recall the happenings or mishaps of this decade,
then it constitutes not an era but a plethora of eras. The last decade
of this millennium has really proved to be epoch-making. The decade began
with many a disastrous acts. First of all, destruction of the Soviet Socialism,
then the demolition of the five hundred year old Babri mosque in our land
along with 'Kar Sewa'. No wonder the plan of National Development of the
Nehruvian era was given up and the Indian economic machinery became a part
and parcel of the capitalist globalisation. At the same time, a change
also came about in politics and the forces of Hindu Fascism, which were
marginalised so far, occupied the pivot of power".
The most shattering happening of
the last decade--the demise of the Soviet Socialism--rendered the people
like Shri Namwar Singh and other leftists orphans. Many a leftist writer
and thinker was eking out bread and butter from Soviet Russia. Many had
radio, fridge, T.V., car etc. in their homes, all courtesy Soviet Russia.
Foreign jaunts were frequent, again courtesy Soviet Russia. Namwar Singh
had been the prime priest of the Soveitland Nehru Awards for years. What
a status he enjoyed then! Even after the disintegration of the Soviet Union,
when Arjun Singh was the Minister for Human Resource Development, Namwar
Singh remained the prime mover in almost all the committees relating to
education and culture. Whether it was the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library, or
the National Book Trust or the Delhi Public Library-Namwar Singh had a
place. Only Namwar Singh! And now? Now, he is nowhere. The poignant pain
of personal relegation consequent to the fall of Soviet Socialism made
things unbearable. In his own words this is the "history of the crisis".
His beautiful dream is over. He ponders over it with a sigh. Alas, what
a greenery once covered his valley. And, in order to give vent to his spleen
and pent up sobs, he recommences publication of the magazine 'Alochana'.
The following memorable lines of famous Hindi poet Nirala come to his mind;
"Vaise, andhera ghana hai, ghana hai andhakar. Is gagan mein nahin dinkar,
nahin shashdhar, nahin tara". (There is pitch darkness, it is intensely
dark-there is neither sun, nor moon, nor the stars in the sky.)
No wonder, Namwar Singh and his
colleagues do not see the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky today.
His poignant lamentations and those of his colleagues cover as many as
three hundred and fifty pages of the 'Alochana'. They have termed BJP a
Hindu Fascist party and have abused it to their hearts content. They have
called the Hindu culture as Brahmanical, denouncing it as anti-dalits.
They have described 'Varna Vyavastha' (caste order) as the focal point
of Hindu Dharma. The actions of RSS have been compared with those of Hitler
and Mussolini. They have called upon the people to save the Sanatana Dharma
and the Indian society from the poison of 'Hindu Fascism'. They have given
a call for a united revolution against fascism (i.e. BJP & RSS) predicting
its end like that of Hitlers and Mussolinis.
Before calling the BJP a fascist
organisation, the leftists should have remembered that it was Soviet Russia
which had extended the hand of friendship towards the Nazi Hitler and the
Fascist Mussolini in 1939. At that time, the leftists regarded Hitler and
Mussolini as their source of inspiration. Nazism and Fascism then were
flawless ideologies. Interestingly, even the Congress Party had admired
Hitler and Mussolini then.
In 1939 at the Tripuri Congress
Session, in which Subhash Chandra Bose was elected as the Congress President,
Shri Gobind Ballabh Pant while appealing to the Congressmen to continue
to remain under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi had stated "wherever the
nations have made progress, they have done so only by remaining under the
leadership of one person only. The Germans had faith in Herr Hitler and
nobody can deny the fact that Germany made progress only under the leadership
of Herr Hitler. Similarly, Italy could make progress only on account of
signor Mussolini". (Brothers Against the Raj: Lconoy A Gorden, Viking;
pp 374-80).
The Communists supported Hitler
and Mussolini because Russia, their 'fatherland' was their ally. But, the
day Russia joined Britain in 1941, Hitler and Mussolini became enemies
for the Communists. To call the person names, whom they had been praising
till a day before, denoted the dubious character of the Communists. Indian
people are well aware of the similar role now being played by them. They
know very well how the Communists have always remained a tail to every
party in power all along since 1942 and have survived on the crumbs thrown
to them by the rulers.
Today, those in power at the Centre
do not need the Communists. Today, after the elapse of fifty-three years
since Independence, the Communists find themselves out of the corridors
of power. They have become irrelevant in the context of national politics.
There is anguish and anger writ large on their faces. This frustration
has found vent in the present issue of 'Alochana'. On going through the
issue it becomes evident that their frustration is due to their personal
loss of identity, power and self.
So, abuse the BJP!
