‘Bulldozer Is The New Symbol Of Oppression, With A Communal Agenda’

Suman, the editor of Jan Morcha, an independent, cooperative Hindi daily published from Faizabad, UP, says BJP’s political persecution has also galvanized resistance from people

For the BJP, bulldozers are the new brand of oppressive and polarizing politics. Obviously, the target is once again the Muslim community, and, that too, the poorest of the community.

After Jehangirpuri and the Ram Navami assaults on a mosque out there by an unruly mob with a communal agenda, they have now targeted Shaheen Bagh near Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi, which was the epicenter of the peaceful and protracted anti-CAA protests led by the mothers and daughters of the area amidst direct communal attacks in public discourse by top BJP leaders and ministers.

That the resilient people of Shaheen Bagh were able to stop the demolitions now is a sign that both the attacks and the resistance are going to build up in the day to come – and, seemingly, there is a hidden narrative behind this all.

It must be mentioned that during the recent elections in UP, the current chief minister mentioned in his public speeches that the bulldozers have been sent for repairing and they will be out soon to do their work. There were hoardings put up by the BJP with bulldozers, as if the lotus has been replaced as its party symbol. Even in Madhya Pradesh, reportedly, similar tactics have been used. More so, BJP workers were seen celebrating on top of bulldozers after the party won the assembly elections in UP.

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This has become a new political card for the party, and, sadly so. There are encroachments all over the country, including in UP, so why this sudden celebration with bulldozers now? Significantly, the rich are left to their game, even if they encroach on public land or footpaths, but the poorest are hit so badly, including roadside vendors and those plying humble carts to earn a daily livelihood.

It seems that behind all this there is a sinister plan. The plan is to create polarizing fissures in the social fabric and thereby up the political ante in support of the Hindutva plank of the BJP. Now, they are even planning to use the same tactics in Ayodhya.

Unfortunately, this could lead to a situation of serious conflict on the ground. Mobs might take over public spaces. And for how long can the people, especially the poor, endure these brazen and repeated acts of injustice, targeted so blatantly against one community, and for no rhyme or reason?

People will come out and protest — peacefully as always, one hopes — as in Shaheen Bagh now and as it was in Shaheen Bagh two years ago. I think the protests will intensify. My hunch is that the BJP think-tank wants the people to come out on the streets so that they can they use the plank of law and order and claim, ‘Look, the encroachers are flexing their muscles, and thereby need to be taught a good lesson’. The hidden agenda behind that is clear: push the Muslim community to the edge, and when they peacefully protest, manufacture a dangerous situation on the ground so as to consolidate and build the Hindutva vote base. This is dangerous and diabolical, and I fear for the worst in the days to come.