Jugalbandi : The BJP before Modi
In 2011, during the UPA-2 tenure, there was a surprise Padma Vibhushan awardee — Brajesh Misra (He missed out in the previous year, despite the backing of MMS). The main reason was his help in clinching the Indo-USA nuclear deal. It was an interesting reason. Upon further research, one comes to know his importance during the NDA years. He was India’s 1st NSA (National Security Advisor modelled on USA NSA) and managed the PMO during the NDA term between 1999–2004.
Yes, he managed the PMO and indirectly, a proxy to Sri AB Vajpayee. The very name of AB invokes a kind of reverence in the sangh parivar. But, there is another school of thought, who are naysayers and that includes Ram Swaroop, Govindacharya, Balraj Modak, Subramania Swamy et al. Someone (either Ram Swaroop ji or Goel ji) called Atal ji, a gas bag. Somewhere, I read that Atal ji relished Jalebi & Samosa in the meetings and left more of decision making to Brajesh Misra. Few stereotypes were established — populist, charmer, less proclivity towards administration, self-centric, a smiling assassin wearing a mask that very few could decipher (remember the “Mukhota” by Govindacharya) ….
There is one more stereotype; Vajpayee ji was a go-getter and Advani ji was not an iron-man/sardar, as claimed to be in the beginning of the rule. After the Kandahar hijack accident, I also got that opinion.
Some stereotypes were broken, some were elaborated, and some were added in this lovely book “Jugalbandi — The BJP before Modi” by Vinay Sitapati. This kind of book is due for a very long time. After reading the book, the respect for Advani ji grows manifold — the way he had conducted himself in his public life, loyalty & integrity shown towards RSS & nation. Many-a-times, he had put the interest of the party/parivar ahead of himself. Whereas the image of Vajpayee ji takes a different turn or U-turn in some cases.
In three succinct parts, the author had detailed the history of Hindu movement, its metamorphosis from a social movement to Bharatiya Jana Sangh & to the present-day BJP. This book starts from 1920s to the period prior to the advent of the deadly-duo (Mod ji — Amit ji) in the national stage, 2014.
Some salient features:
1. “Hindu Fevicol” is a unique term that I came across in this book. May be, it is an invention of the author to describe the emerging scenario of Independence movement, to some extent compromise by the congress leadership, emerging aggressive Muslim leadership and other factors that necessitated the consolidation of Hindus. This term will continue to stay with us for a longer period. Because, unlike the Abrahamic faiths, we have been told/brain washed again & again, that there are no common factors; Indian is not a plausible entity, Hinduism splits people in the name of castes etc. Au contraire, we are witnessing the rise of Hindurashtra, despite many hurdles that continues to come up.
2. Glorious terms were used to praise RSS (It sounds surprising, as I was told that the author belongs to Sekhar Gupta’s school and they have very little soft corner for any of the sangh parivar). Time & again, the great work, discipline, family-like scenario, when to intervene and when to stay back strategies, love for this nation and many other great attributes of RSS are highlighted, wherever it is possible.
3. Also, we are blissfully oblivious of the great contributions of Syama Prasad ji & Deendayal ji, during the tough Nehruvian era, where all kind of restrictions were applied to prevent Hindu consolidation. Here, we are helped by the author to understand the role in the overall scheme of things. How they moved to political space was the stepping stone for the emergence of Modi ji, today.
4. If we remember the opening lines of Charles Dickens, “Tale of Two cities”, we can as well apply the template over the emergence of both leaders — Advani ji & Vajpayee ji. Right from the Birth to their advent of manhood years, events in their life have been presented on how it helped to shape them up.
5. At the end of this book, at least in my view, Advani ji emerges as a tall hero. A man from the family that became a refugee after partition, his initial back breaking work in the difficult terrain of Rajasthan, his friendship with Vajpayee ji that developed over the years, his hard work that gave respect and MPs to the party from the doldrums of 1984, his vision and boldness in taking up the Hindu cause, always putting the party/org ahead of himself, his selfless act of projecting Vajpayee ji as the PM candidate etc. One can continue to sing about this glorious man called Iron-man, on the mould of the original one. That sobriquet fits him completely. Even today, I regret that he was not our PM in any of the NDA innings
6. Same cannot be said about Vajpayee ji. His underlying ambitions comes to the fore, his compromise on the concept of Hindutva, his ways of side-lining other leaders, who could have been his potential competitors (Balra Modak, Subramania Swamy), his knack in forging alliances with other parties, his penchant for liquor, his not-so-clear relationship with Rajkumari Kaur, using Advani ji’s organization skill & climbing up on that ladder of success. One can continue to see the best and the uglier side of Vajpayee ji
To be continued…..
