HURLING a definitive defeat to his opponents of all colors and classes, Narendra Modi, the Hindu nationalist leader, and his Bharatiya Janata Party made history by winning more than 272 parliamentary seats, receiving the strongest mandate of any party in the past three decades. Modi, against whom there are allegations of “allowing” massacres against Muslims, stood on his hitherto hyperbolic promises to enliven India’s staggering economy, to create millions of jobs, to say goodbye to corruption, and to pull the bulk of people out of poverty.
By all accounts, the defeat was extraordinarily depressing for the Indian National Congress Party and for the Gandhi family – a matchmaking of which has governed India mostly since its independence. The last decade of India under Congress rule was marked by a plethora of corruption and nepotism allegations. Perhaps, there is a message from the people’s end that dynastic rule cannot continue indefinitely and perhaps the politicians in neighbouring Bangladesh should read between the lines from the Indian elections.
It may be the nature of Indian National Congress, about Bangladesh, that emphasized friendship of Gandhi-Mujib family over Bangladesh’s national interests. It was Congress government that provided courage and strength to have an election-less government only to keep Awami League in power against popular wishes. Congress did not believe in people to people relationship. Contrarily Congress government encouraged incompetent and corrupt government in Bangladesh and elsewhere it being corrupt. It ignored the kidnappings and killings of hundreds of men, women and children in the hands of law enforcing agencies. Nothing could be more to show how undemocratic a government can be that defies people’s mandate to remain in power.
But the resounding victory of BJP translates into the fact that Indians no more want the old rhetorical naïve diplomacy to continue. Young progressive Indians will definitely wish to see a more pragmatic foreign policy towards Bangladesh which is not guided by whims and vague phrases like threats from over the border. It is clear from Mr. Modi’s election programs that he appealed to the voters with honest governance and job creating economy.
With an unelected government and corruption everywhere, Bangladesh will have a difficult task to obtain even rightful demands from India.
It could be Mr Modi’s golden opportunity to tell the world that he is the prime minister of all Indians’, regardless of caste, color or creed. His stance towards Muslims in India has serious implication for religious minorities in Bangladesh. From now he can work to build the image that he is a man of peace, not a man of riots and parochial sectarianism. How he moves forward will matter not only to Indians shouting for jobs and development, but also to others, including Bangladesh, which has seen, in the last few years, how a big neighbour can effectively wipe out a democratic system from a weak neighbouring state.
It is our belief and hope that as Prime Minister Mr Modi will not be a demagogue Prime Minister. His policies will be reassuring not only for the people of India but also its neighbours. He should also remember that the people were too anxious to reject dynastic rule which helped to get him such massive victory. Now he will have to justify his mandate by deeds.
