From Guj to Nat'l stage: The diverging paths of Indian politics amid Hindutva and pandemic politics
In 2002, Gujarat's turbulent scene propelled Narendra Modi, then the state's Chief Minister, into the spotlight as the face of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-endorsed version of Hindutva. By 2012, Modi had secured his position as the BJP's top candidate for prime minister, a testament to the profound resonance of this particular strand of Hindutva among a significant majority of Hindus. Modi's meteoric rise culminated in 2014 when he led the BJP, RSS's political wing, to secure the Prime Minister's office, masterfully blending Hindutva with shrewd advertising.
The Challenge of the 2024 Elections: Diminishing Returns for Hindutva
Since 2022, the majority of Hindus have been less concerned about the RSS Hindutva due to the corona pandemic's excessive mismanagement and the Modi Government's lack of accomplishments; this poses a challenge for Narendra Modi's 2024 elections. Due to the fact that Ram Mandir is now close to completion, the populace is currently divided between their own survival and Ram Mandir as an emotional issue.
In the absence of Hindutva as a vote-polarising instrument, conditions similar to the riots 2002 are required to reignite this agenda. In addition, the Hindutva game necessitates an adversary. Since 2002, Muslims have been targeted to bolster Hindutva, and by 2022, as now evidenced by the Karnataka elections, the returns of this platform have been diminishing. In a far corner of India, Manipur has a sizable Christian minority that has been an eyesore to the Sangh Parivaar. This provided the perfect environment for the reigniting of Hindu nationalism.
Manipur: A New Ground for Hindu Nationalism?
There are some parallels between Gujarat in 2002 and Manipur today. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah continued their spirited election campaign in Karnataka as Manipur caught fire. Requests for assistance fell on deaf ears. It required 48 hours to para drop 30,000 paramilitaries into a heavily militarised Manipur. According to Amit Malviya, the leader of the infamous BJP IT cell, Amit Shah spoke with Manipur's chief minister Biren Singh on May 4th to assess the situation. On May 6th, the Home Minister convened another review meeting, and additional central paramilitary personnel and anti-riot vehicles were dispatched to Manipur to maintain peace. In spite of all the available military and intelligence, Manipur descended into violence. Since 2014, the Modi administration has taken pride in preventing bombings and rioting in advance. Even the world-renowned boxer Mary Kom took to social media to ask for assistance reaching the Modi government. Manipur has burned for over 50 days and is still smoking.
While the Chief Minister of Gujarat was the first official ever to be denied a visa to the United States in 2005, under its religion act, for his inaction during the Gujarat Riots, Prime Minister Modi was welcomed with open arms in the US as Manipur burnt.
The Legacy of the Congress Party: India's Centrist Beacon
Since India got rid of British imperial rule, the Indian National Congress (Congress party) has run the country for most of its history. The Congress Party united India and has put out many social fires since then. Congress made many mistakes, but it kept India together. This is because there is no guide for putting together such a large country with nearly different cultures every few hundred miles. One of the main reasons for the social tensions was communalism, which is also visible as a key strategy of RSS. How can a group whose policy seems to be based on one of India's biggest fault lines keep social fires from starting?
It is not the case that the Congress and other parties engage in no communal politics. Congress, in particular, comprises a diverse cadre and contains communal elements, but it is also known to have taken its concerns seriously. There are also religion-specific parties, but they are scattered throughout India. They are less dominant than the BJP, the world's largest political party.
Manipur's Unstable Past and an Uncertain Future
Manipur has been an unstable state since its founding. There was a time in the 1980s when the Indian Army moved in convoys, with little room for lone military vehicles to operate. Some members of the armed forces used to wear civilian attire to the office, change into uniform during work hours, and return to civilian attire when their duty was complete. Stones used to fall on the roofs of the Mayang people, which is what the Manipuri in Manipur called Indians who were not from the state.
When a Mayang was nice before, it was because they were buying digital watches and other products illegally from China through Burma (now known as Myanmar). The Military Mayangs who used to sell their allotment of military alcohol to the locals were also considered friendly. I am just trying to lighten the mood. Manipur, like the rest of the North East, is a beautiful and friendly place except for the occasional earthquakes. Similar to the rest of India, their reputation is marred by local and national politics.
I tried to distinguish the BJP as a party from the current administration. Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP was a party of stalwarts and principled cadre.
India could become a militaristic state if centrist policies and parties are not reinstated. If Manipur's politics of violence succeed, there is a high chance they will engulf India. In the past nine years, most Indians have developed a negative perception of communal politics. I do not want it to take Indians years to determine what a militaristic state looks like.
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WHO declares global health emergency over Ebola outbreak in Congo, Uganda
Abuja (Nigeria) (AP): WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths.
In a post on X, the World Health Organisation said the outbreak does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, and advised against the closure of international borders.
Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.
Health authorities have confirmed the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant of the Ebola disease that has no approved therapeutics or vaccines. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have taken place in Congo and Uganda, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo virus has been reported.
Congo accounts for all except two of the cases, both of which were reported in neighbouring Uganda, the WHO said.
Officials first reported the spread of the disease in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, close to Uganda and South Sudan, on Friday. On Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths.
“There are significant uncertainties regarding the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time. In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases,” Tedros said.
Uganda on Saturday confirmed one case it said was imported from Congo, and said the patient died at a hospital in Uganda's capital, Kampala, and the WHO said that a second case has been reported in Kampala. The two cases had no apparent links to each other, and both patients had travelled from Congo, it added.
The Bundibugyo virus was first detected in Uganda's Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak that infected 149 people and killed 37 people. The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.
WHO's emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action. However, the global response to previous declarations has been mixed.
In 2024, when the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency, experts at the time said it did little to get supplies like diagnostic tests, medicines and vaccines to affected countries quickly.
