It's Only Words, Words Are All We Have

"My Government will ensure complete freedom of faith…my Government will ensure that nobody from the majority or the minority communities incite hatred…everybody has the freedom to retain or adopt a faith without coercion and undue influence…" declared Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday while addressing a congregation of Christians in the national capital.

The 'candid' speech has been welcomed widely. 'Der aye, doorust aye' (better late than never), nodded Shahid Siddiqui on NDTV. The Archbishop of Delhi also seemed appreciative, even gratified at the PM's assurance that his government would ensure freedom of people to adopt and retain a religion. Barkha Dutt, the anchor, was exasperated at the cussedness of Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien who repeatedly pointed out that the belated declaration was a 'course correction' after the electoral drubbing BJP received in Delhi and in the by-elections held last week.
"But he has spoken…," Dutt pouted. What more do you expect him to do, she seemed to be asking. O'Brien remained combative. His smirks indicated he was far from convinced that the PM had changed his spots. Reminding viewers that the Rajya Sabha was stalled during much of the winter session in December because of the PM's refusal to address the issue of communal harmony in the House, he questioned the timing, barely a week before the Parliament begins its budget session on February 23. Dutt now asked if the opposition would again stall the House "even after the PM has spoken…", a full toss that O'Brien managed to duck.

It does not require much punditry to guess that the PM has no intention of addressing the issue in Parliament. A discussion on the subject in Parliament would allow whatever opposition there is to raise uncomfortable questions, forcing the PM and the treasury benches to listen and then to reply. Generalities spoken in the House would expose the Government.

Therefore, the opposition will fret and fume at being denied a chance to put the government in the dock. Of course, the PM and his advisors would be satisfied for having pre-empted the opposition. If the House is stalled again, one can expect BJP spokesmen to look statesmanlike on TV and claim that the opposition is bereft of issues and politically bankrupt.

The reason why the PM's words unfortunately do not carry much conviction is because of the vicious, no-holds-barred campaign that he led before the Delhi election. Not only did he allow his minister of state Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti to call upon the people to choose between 'Ramzaade' and 'Haraamzade' in the election, the PM himself demeaned the office he holds by taking cheap, rhetorical shots at political rivals in the four public rallies that he addressed.

The fact that Modi did not deem it necessary to speak on the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and apparently gave no assurance to a delegation of catholic bishops who had called on him late last year also make it difficult to take his words at face value.

During the TV discussion BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli (who for a change did not look condescending) pointed out that the PM had asked for a 10-year moratorium on caste and communal conflict in his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He obviously was loath to discuss what has happened since then and why. But what kind of a leader asks for a 'moratorium' on violence? The unfortunate choice of word makes one wonder whether it was just a slip of the tongue or if it has a far greater import.

That the PM chose to speak three weeks after the visiting US President Barack Obama pointedly spoke of religious intolerance, repeating after his return that Mahatma Gandhi would have been shocked by the religious intolerance in India today, has not been lost on observers. And if it is indeed the PM's friend Barack who influenced his decision to break his silence on the issue, one can feel sorry for both Mr Modi and for ourselves. 

Even more disquieting has been the reaction of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The PM's sermon was aimed at Christians, said VHP president Raghav Reddy. Didn't the PM speak on the day Delhi Police released data to show that there were more 'thefts' in temples and gurudwaras than in churches? The Delhi Police Commissioner let it out that during 2014 as many as 206 temples, 30 gurudwaras, 14 mosques and only 3 churches were 'burgled'. He did not elaborate on how burglaries could be equated with 'vandalism', stone throwing, arson and attacks on churches. 
One would still like to give the PM the benefit of doubt. One would also like to remind him that one of his idols Swami Vivekananda had the vision to think of a universal religion, a religion whose sun would shine equally on Krishna and Christ. It is time for the PM to walk the talk. It will not be long before we get to know if he meant what he said on Tuesday this week. For our own sake, we hope he did.