Left and Secular Forces Must Take Lead in Combating Communal Threat in Bihar
Arun Kumar Mishra
THE BJP and its affiliates in Bihar have turned to their usual strategy of creating communal tensions to polarise people along religious lines, following a setback in Bihar politics and feeling isolated. This is all in preparation for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
The central home minister, Amit Shah, has made frequent visits and delivered provocative speeches targeting minorities, emboldening Bihar BJP leaders to make hate speeches on various pretexts. However, their longtime ally Nitish Kumar has emerged as the unifying face of opposition parties.
The political landscape in Bihar has realigned, providing hope for all parties opposed to the BJP to unite and protect the secular, socialist, and democratic character of India, as enshrined in the constitution. Bihar has become a battleground for two opposing ideologies that will shape national politics in the coming months. The BJP is aware of this and is deploying all of its divisive tactics to turn Bihar into another Uttar Pradesh. The recent Ram Navami festival provided an opportunity for the BJP and its extremist affiliates to incite communal violence, resulting in large-scale destruction of public property and arson.
Festivals have become a way to exhibit animosity towards other communities by displaying swords, spears, and other lethal weapons, and raising slogans in support of a Hindu Rashtra. The Mahagathbandhan government prevented communal violence from breaking out in other districts, but the local administration in Sasaram and Biharsharif failed to nip communal tensions in the bud.
The orchestrated communal violence in Biharsharif and Sasaram was allegedly planned and executed by members of the Bajrang Dal and VHP, who used social media to spread false information and incite communal feelings, particularly among young people. According to the ADGP, the riots were premeditated, and Kundan Kumar, the Bajrang Dal convenor of Biharsharif, was the mastermind behind the plan. He has allegedly handled 457 WhatsApp groups to create communal tensions.
During the interrogation process, an anonymous police officer disclosed that a minor had revealed that local BJP leaders distributed swords, iron rods, and 500 rupees for petrol to groups of Hindus in Murarpur locality the day before the Ram Navami procession. The bottles of liquor distributed were later used as petrol bombs by the mob.
More than 100 Bajrang Dal activists arrived in Biharsharif from Begusarai to participate in the Ram Navami procession, with the leader of the group posting pictures on Facebook. Begusarai is represented by the controversial BJP MP Giriraj Singh, who seems to have orchestrated the conspiracy and sent his supporters to stir up communal unrest in Biharsharif. The Bihar government should investigate his role and hold him accountable for his inflammatory statements against the minority community.
The communal threat in Bihar has escalated since the BJP lost power in the state, and it is crucial for the Left and secular forces and parties to take a leading role in combating it. The BJP initially attempted to create conflict between the RJD and JD(U), and later within the JD(U) by supporting Upendra Kushwaha, who has now aligned with the BJP. Furthermore, the BJP is trying to woo smaller parties that represent certain caste groups by offering seats and financial incentives. They are also working hard to create communal tensions on any issue that can divide the Hindu and Muslim communities. Although the BJP has not found a solution to overcome the obstacles that prevented their parliamentary victory, they will use all their political strategies to polarise the masses for their benefit in the coming months.
Over the past 15 years, the BJP has been successful in expanding its ideological base among the masses, beyond their electoral constituencies. However, the support base of the Mahagathbandhan and Left forces is much stronger and more widespread, and with coordinated efforts, this can defeat the BJP electorally in Bihar.
