“The Patidars (Patels) in Gujarat are living under the shadow of fear.” —Feb 10, at Surat
“It is time now to take up the sword.” —Apr 16, at Jamkandorna
“Dar ke aage jeet hai (beyond fear lies victory).” —May 6, at Somnath
Gujarat BJP patriarch and former chief minister Keshubhai Patel has been consistent in the delivery of such deadly top-spin serves since the beginning of this year. And on Saturday, May 13, the man who built the party in Gujarat and in 1995 became its first BJP CM let go a sizzling down-the-line volley that left the party speechless and the people somewhat puzzled.
Speaking at a Rohit community function in Ahmedabad, the BJP’s old warhorse thundered thus against the state government: “Gujarat is ruled by pindaris and thugs and people live under fear, including IAS and IPS officers.... Those who live in the hearts of the people don’t need to force-ferry crowds to their public meetings.... Power’s being used just for personal publicity.” He didn’t name Narendra Modi even once, but his remarks left nobody in doubt about the target.
Coming at a time when the party is going to town publicising the clean chit the Supreme Court-appointed sit has given Modi in the 2002 Gujarat killings, this frontal attack by Keshubhai, in the company of BJP rebel and former minister Gordhan Zadaphia, is causing considerable unease in BJP ranks. The rising belligerence of the 84-year-old leader is giving Modi anxious moments as well. Once his political aide, Modi had replaced Keshubhai as CM in October 2001.
The strategy, however, does not seem to be working this time. Like the Muslims who, post-2002 riots, flaunt their identity in their way of dressing and headgear, Patels too are doing so with a vengeance, sporting simple ‘Patidar’ stickers on their vehicles, business establishments and even homes. Massive community congregations have already been held. The presence of Bapa (revered elder) at a nine-lakh-strong Leuva Patel gathering at Khodaldham near Rajkot in January and his advice—that it is right to present the other cheek if you are wrong but slap back twice if you are in the right—earned him a standing ovation.
If empty chairs greeted Modi at a Leuva Patel function organised in Surat last month, over 60,000 people were present at a community gathering at Jamkandorna in Saurashtra two days later, where Keshubhai issued a call to arms. The simmering, anti-establishment sentiment in the over one-crore-strong community, which has a sizeable presence in 75 of the total 182 assembly constituencies, is cause for concern, with Vidhan Sabha elections due in Gujarat around December this year. With Patels figuring amongst those convicted in the Sardarpura and Ode massacres, there was, for the first time, slogan-shouting against Modi at both judgement venues.
A Brahmin community gathering Modi addressed on April 24 in Surat also attracted poor response, with only 13 of the 28 enclosures filling up and food cooked for a lakh people going abegging. This is another community, though comparatively smaller in number, which has been feeling discriminated against, following the death of Haren Pandya. Also coming to haunt Modi are the sidelining of party leaders like Nalin Bhatt, who quit; Ashok Bhatt, who was made Speaker and is now no more; Jaynarayan Vyas, who is a minister but kept on a tight leash; and among the younger lot, Bharat Pandya and Yamal Vyas. Besides, the hounding of serving officers, ranging from dgp Kuldip Sharma, his IAS officer brother Pradeep Sharma, digs Rahul Sharma and Sanjiv Bhatt, all belonging to the community, has become the subject of sms campaigns. This disaffection is having an effect. For a leader who once shunned the caste tag for wider Hindu acceptance, Modi has now regressed to addressing smaller caste gatherings of Prajapatis, Thakores, Ravals, Kolis, Chaudharys, Sonis, etc.
Long used to winning ways over a decade-long rule, Modi has already received a jolt this year, when the Congress snatched the Mansa assembly seat in Gandhinagar district after 17 years. The BJP is inclined to see it as an isolated example, but for the long-in-the-dumps Congress, it amounts to a booster dose. Earlier, the party had won the closely fought, no-holds-barred election to the prestigious municipal corporation of state capital Gandhinagar. Could Modi’s star finally be waning then?
