Sangh paradox

A recent media interaction in India by one of the top leaders of the Hindutva extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh provided a graphic example of how far-right Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, the second-in-command of the ideological parent of India's ruling BJP, called for keeping diplomatic doors open with Pakistan, going as far as saying that India "should always be ready to engage them in a dialogue". At other times during the interview, Hosabale parroted Indian government talking points about Pakistan, providing scant proof for his accusations regarding Pakistan's alleged role in the Pulawama attack.

However, the mere suggestion to keep a door open is a bigger opening than we have seen in almost a decade. Modi and his allies have been doing everything they can to reduce interactions with Pakistan and even bleed sportsman spirit from every top-tier Indian athlete by requiring them not to shake hands with Pakistani opponents, lest good manners lead to friendship and cross-cultural understanding. Modi's government has long been trying to paint Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, but has failed spectacularly, as no other country in the world has supported India's 'evidence', though several have reassessed ties with New Delhi due to the Modi government's active use of murders abroad to silence regime opponents.

It will be interesting to see how the BJP's troll army and the Godi media react. In the past, these groups have relentlessly attacked opposition politicians and independent analysts for merely suggesting dialogue with Pakistan, branding them anti-national and frequently going as far as calling for violence, to which militant Hindutva groups eagerly respond. So far, the hateful ecosystem has been curiously silent, and the double standard has not gone unnoticed by the public.

On a positive note, if the silence is authentic, perhaps the BJP will take the hint that talking to Pakistan is not necessarily a political risk, but rather, beneficial for citizens of both countries.