From Dadri murder to Aamir Khan: How BJP turned intolerant
The mob lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in September 2015 in Bisara village near Dadri in Uttar Pradesh has dragged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government into an unprecedented controversy. On October 6, 2015, Nayantara Sahgal returned her Sahitya Akademi award to protest what she called, "increasing intolerance and supporting right to dissent in the country". This led to a flurry of "award wapsi" by several eminent people from all walks of life.
Akhlaq’s killing was clubbed with the murders of rationalists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and MM Kalburgi. Those who were returning awards said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has emboldened the right-wing fringe associated with Hindutva. They also said differences of opinion are being sought to be settled through violence. Arguments are met not with counter-arguments, but with bullets. And, hence, there is no place for dissent in the society, especially if you are critical of the right-wing fringe.
During the intolerance controversy the BJP matched the "award wapsi brigade" with effective and substantive arguments. It said first there was normalcy in the country and secondly there was no atmosphere for which the central government was responsible. Arun Jaitley described the returning of awards as a “manufactured paper rebellion”. He further wrote in a Facebook post, "Those returning awards are playing politics by other means. Follow their tweets and their stances on various social and political issues. You will find a lot of rabid anti-BJP elements in them".
One of the BJP's arguments was that never before was there such a systematic campaign by this award wapsi brigade despite that fact that country has witnessed more severe and damning incidents than the Dadri lynching. Besides, this campaign was happening on the eve of Bihar elections.
While the BJP may or may not be correct in saying that it was a manufactured paper rebellion, it was right on at least four other counts. First, this campaign of award wapsi ended or died down after the Bihar election. Second, this was the first time the country saw such an anti-government campaign. It was unique in its nature and intensity. Third, all those who were in the campaign were known Modi/BJP haters who were never known to have endorsed Modi or his polices. And lastly, neither the Narendra Modi government nor the BJP was endorsing or involved in increasing the so-called atmosphere of intolerance, barring a few stray examples.
As far as the BJP is concerned, some office bearers and leaders might have crossed the Laxman Rekha while countering allegations of "award wapsi brigade". But the party or the government had clearly not sanctioned the lynch mob.
However, after the controversy has settled down, the BJP and its government seem to have started targeting those people who were talking about intolerance. At least the case of Aamir Khan stands out. The Narendra Modi government has not only not renewed Aamir's contract as brand ambassador of the Incredible India campaign, but even the party's top leaders are provoking people to teach him a lesson.
Two months after Aamir had made controversial comments on perceived intolerance in the country, for which he was criticised by many senior Union ministers, he has ceased to be the brand ambassador for Incredible India. Tourism minister minister Mahesh Sharma has maintained that Khan was not dropped as brand ambassador, but the contract with advertising agency McCann Worldgroup for the campaign had expired. In response, Aamir had said, “I respect the decision of the government to discontinue with my services… I was happy to be of service to my country, and will always be available for it.” Note this then... that while the minister said his contract had expired, Aamir chose to state that his services were discontinued.
So, Aamir is no longer the brand ambassador for Incredible India. In a parliamentary standing committee meeting, MPs sought an explanation from the tourism secretary for the removal of Aamir as the brand ambassador of the Incredible India campaign. In this meeting the BJP MP and Bhojpuri film star Manoj Tiwari is learnt to have called Khan a “traitor”. According to reports, Tiwari said, “Aamir Khan is a traitor, he should be thrown out.”
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav also took a dig at the film star. Speaking at a function organised at the Delhi University, he said: “You go and tell auto drivers about the culture and honour of the country and not your wife? It will not work if you preach to an auto driver on how the country’s prestige has to be saved but not tell the same to your own wife”. A day later, another BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya hinted at teaching a lesson to Aamir when his upcoming film Dangal is released. In a public rally in Indore he said he gets angry whenever anyone talks about intolerance. In a direct reference to Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir, Vijayvargiya said, “We have already taught one a lesson, now it’s the turn of the other. It’s time for Dangal me Mangal.”
The BJP general secretary was suggesting his movie Dangal be treated like Shahrukh Khan's Dilwale, which suffered when its business was marred by protests from Hindutva groups. Why are the BJP leaders targeting Aamir? Why has the government removed him as brand ambassador for Incredible India? Why is Ram Madav asking him to teach his wife about India's culture? Why is Kailash Vijayvargiya asking people to teach him a lesson?
The answer to all of this is - Aamir had said a sense of “insecurity” and “fear” had seeped deep within society. But isn't this vindictive attitude of the BJP leaders and the government towards him simply proving Aamir's fears right? Is this not intolerance too?