The BJPs national executive meeting in Guwahati demonstrated,once more,that the party is finding it tough to come to grips with reality. Party chief Nitin Gadkaris closed-door address to the national executive was the self-same state of denial from which it has been unable to emerge ever since the unravelling of what is now called saffron terror. Gadkari is learnt to have claimed that the charges levelled against the RSS and Indresh Kumar are false. Moreover,he explained away the accusations in fact,the entire thrust of the investigations as motivated by the UPAs need to divert attention from the scandals that have put the Union government in a spot. Gadkaris statements are in tune with what the BJP has been saying ever since revelations about the involvement of right-wing groups in incidents like the Samjhauta blast came to light. The BJP,as a major national party,has so far shown itself unable or unwilling to deal with the developments sensibly. It has exhibited no substantial gesture to re-think its tendency to jump to the defence,no matter how outlandish,of the extended Sangh umbrella. However,the BJPs problem is precisely that it forgets that its a mainstream party,one thats held power at the Centre for a full term. As a result,its reactions,especially in the recent past,often tend to look unbecoming of the party. Gadkaris irresponsible remarks belong to the same book the BJPs parliamentary obstructionism came from. Democratic politics is about give-and-take,negotiation and compromise; it doesnt consist of absolutist or maximalist stances. Its this state of denial thats prevented the BJP from tackling its problems in Karnataka either which makes it look like a party of glass-house dwellers throwing stones at the rest. Technicalities of the CBI investigation apart,if the BJP aims to be taken seriously,it should not present the investigation as an affront to the majority community. Thats not just presumptuous. Its highly irresponsible politics.
