Fifty shades of saffron

Speaking to YouTuber Samdish Bhatia, Indian road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari made an illuminating statement on 15 December 2024. Bear in mind that he is considered a moderate rising star within BJP politics. Despite his close relationship with the RSS leadership, he has cultivated a cordial rapport with various opposition parties. It is said that the RSS would like to see him replace Modi. In this interview, however, he appears to have said the quiet part aloud.

The direct quote is: "I am just telling you in the form of history. In the world, the country where 51% of the population is Muslim, in that country, democracy, socialism, and religious diversity have disappeared." To avoid undue stress, it is revealed here that this is not the entire quote.

But I am sure, after reading these lines, you must be wondering if this is the alternative, why bother replacing Modi at all? After all, this claim looks like a gross generalisation and is inaccurate, too. Good question, a very good question.

To find an answer, you must see what Modi and his lieutenant, Amit Shah, have done to India and the world. Likely, before the Gujarat riots of 2002, most of you did not even know who Modi was. That was his first introduction. However, when he became prime minister, all cases against him and Amit Shah started disappearing one by one.

That is not all. Since then, Indian institutions have been badly bruised. The judiciary has become a joke, the parliament a tightly controlled circus, the media a tragedy, and the election commission Shah's instrument of political engineering. The economy is a vehicle to make Modi's rich cronies richer without any accountability, and foreign policy is an extension of Modi's ego.

Previous BJP governments were at least answerable to the RSS, or the Sangh, as it is widely known. But the Modi-Shah duo seem to be acting remarkably autonomously, while trying to make the Sangh redundant. So, all checks and balances have ceased to exist.

As we have seen in the past, the 2024 election results, Operation Sindoor and the ongoing trade war with the US have weakened Modi considerably. On top of that, a resurgent opposition and an insurgent Sangh appear to be squeezing him hard. Meanwhile, the coercive influence infrastructure the duo assembled around the world, with the help of their billionaire friends, India's intelligence agencies, and bhakts among the diaspora, is backfiring, strengthening anti-India sentiment in many developed countries as the authorities there take an active interest in such matters.

In short, Modi has never been this weak in his political career. If you want proof, please note that on 6 August, Gautam Adani relinquished control of his largest company, Adani Ports. The company that operates the Mundra port is under investigation, not only for smuggling Iranian LPG to other countries, but also for playing some part in feeding ingredients into the shady supply chain that delivers fentanyl and other opioids inside the US.

There is an opioid epidemic in the US. Millions use fentanyl illicitly, and tens of thousands die annually due to overdose. Since day one, President Trump has rightly waged a war on fentanyl and other opioids. The inability to protect such a close ally, whose name has become synonymous with Modi's, must be taking a toll on the Indian premier.

The RSS does not wish to let this opportunity go to waste. The general elections showed the BJP who was the boss, as its Panna Pramukhs (vote hustlers) refused to participate, and the party was reduced to 240 seats, below the majority mark. In the Haryana and Maharashtra elections, it resumed cooperation, and the party efficiently carried the day.

So, the Sangh is pushing to fill the vacant position of BJP head with Sanjay Joshi, a one-time party high-flier and now an open nemesis of Modi and Shah. That animosity is so juicy, it deserves a separate piece. Likewise, three names for Modi's replacement have been circulated: Gadkari, agriculture minister Shivraj Chouhan and defence minister Rajnath Singh. Of the three, Gadkari remains the favourite.

Having once used Modi as their blunt instrument, the RSS now finds him too blunt to be of any use.

Meanwhile, Modi seems to have started signalling his own. On 3 August, Modi and then Amit Shah met with the president. On 6 August, both participated in the ruling coalition NDA's meeting, where Modi praised Shah profusely, implying that he would be the successor.

But why Shah? Initially, it was my belief that Modi wanted to become president. But I am told that is not going to happen. The reason Shah is his preference is to offer him immunity from post-retirement prosecution and targeting. Since then, their aligned media personalities have openly started naming him as the successor.

When I contacted my US-based Sangh sources, whose information has been accurate in the past, I was flatly told that Shah's name was unacceptable. However, immunity from prosecution could be arranged, as long as Modi and Shah were out of the limelight and the BJP remained in power. Also, they insist that Bhagwat is going nowhere, as the RSS is a different kind of organisation. But Modi and Shah most definitely are.

And it figures. The RSS has made deep inroads into all the country's institutions. Unlike Modi and Shah, it does not fear any of them. It could put India's waning soft power to good use. So, as soon as the duo exit, all institutions can come back online, and a new generation of future leaders can be groomed. Meanwhile, this month, it is launching another outreach through an inclusive lecture series. Minorities and opposition representatives are invited.

Now let us return to the rest of Gadkari's quote. The generalisation about Muslims is a common refrain you hear from any RSS activist. The devil, however, lies in the details, and in the attempts to mould old thinking into a push for a more inclusive society.

"The problem is that Muslims must increase education. And I believe this. I have said many times in interviews that Hindutva is the identity of India. The Supreme Court has said that Hindutva is a way of life. In our country, the people who go to the mosque, the temple, and the Gurudwara have different ways of worship. But all of them are Indians. The relationship between India and nationalism is based on Hindu culture, history, and heritage.

The word Hindu comes from Sindhu, which is its simple meaning. So, Hindu is not a caste-based or communal word. Hindutva is the way of life.

What do we do without understanding? We think Hindutva means against Muslims, against minorities. We don't believe in majority or minority. We believe that the whole society is ours.

And we will not discriminate or insult anyone."