[Reader-list] On why Singh, Shourie and Sangh should learn Photoshop?

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Inder

Agreed that BJP has contrived to a large extent in murder and despicable
crimes and atrocities inflicted on the minorities, but that does not mean
there is no need for an opposition party to counter the Congress. When the
UPA govt has been accused of so many scams and has actually been involved in
one disaster after another, there needs to be an active opposition which
galvanizes people on base of issues and actually plays constructive politics
to transform the lives of the people.

Secondly, the BJP is not a monolith. People within BJP can be people who may
have saved minorities during riots from the clutch of the rioters as well.
Even in Gujarat 2002, there were a few stories where I read that it's the
VHP and BJP men who saved Muslims from getting killed as they knew the
Muslims. (It may be sounding strange if some of these were involved in
killing of Muslims elsewhere as they didn't know them)

Therefore, it's the person as such and not the BJP which is the problem. The
BJP is not a machine; it's a set of people who according to us believe in
the wrong ideology. The right idea would be to counter it and make them
understand. Considering them as 'enemies' or just ignoring them is not going
to solve the problem. And such a kind of fun-making attitude or caring less
will only strengthen their belief in their ideology, which hardly solves the
problem. What does is constructive and rational discussions, which is the
need of the hour.

Most importantly, it's not just the BJP's hate of the Muslims which is the
problem. Even I may hate someone on this forum to any extent, but that does
not in any way give me licence to unleash violence on the person whom I
hate. Therefore, the major concern for me is the way BJP allowed those riots
to spread or a pogrom or genocide to take place, though ideological
considerations are also important in some sense. And our institutional
framework needs to be strengthened with the sense of duty if we are to avoid
that. (And it did happen. I think it was Rahul Sharma, the SP Vadodara who
fired in the air as a very strong mob charged in post-Godhra violence to
protect Muslims.)

So we need to look at things in entirety. Of course, that doesn't absolve
the BJP of the crimes they committed.

Regards

Rakesh