The BJP’s drubbing in Karnataka is certainly a huge relief but it doesn’t mean the Hindutva is done and dusted. With close to a decade of Naredra Modi’s rule, the ideology of hatred has systematically hijacked the social, political, and judicial institutions of the country. Even the military was not immune to this manoeuvre.
It has permeated deeply into the psyche of India and its implications are far reaching. It has created a huge trust deficit about the democratic institutions and law and order machinery. The most frightening and damaging effect of this is the deepening distrust among various religious and ethnic communities in India. The recent violent clashes in Manipur were the latest manifestation of this dangerous move.
‘Politics of polarisation’ is the hallmark of BJP and from Hijab to Bajarang to Kerala Story, BJP tried everything in Karnataka. Thankfully, all of them fell flat.
But political defeat alone won’t be enough to check the Hindutva juggernaut. It needs much larger and wider unity among political parties and civil society groups.
Let Karnataka be the beginning of a new wave of resistance against Hindutva fascism.
