The ... presidential address of Bangaru Laxman is primarily a package of programmes. It is a crisis management blueprint, reinventing BJP to overcome (foreseeable) hurdles in (coming) assembly elections ...

This is not a novel move ... In the past the RSS has resorted to the (same) technique of re-investing its political front (BJS upto 1979 and BJP thereafter) several times in order to either ensure its own survival or to achieve its. political ambitions ..

As in the past ... RSS and BJP refuse to review their ideology of Hindutva in response to changed circumstances ... But the BJP ... tries to deal with its inherent crisis mechanically. using its time-worked method, viz. Re-investing itself and its image. The proposed package of re-inventing BJP has five main items:

(1) re-invent the name and identity of the party; (2) re- invent the mindset of crores of 'Hindu' voters and lakhs of workers; (3) re-invent the socio-economic base of the party; (4) re-invent power-equations within the party; (5) re-invent the popular image of the party.

First (let us) take Bangaru Laxman's recent statement on Ram temple. He described demolition of Babari Masjid in 1992 as the 'Ayodhya tragedy'. Describing demolition as unfortunate he promised penal action against those responsible for it.

But what the BJP has been saying all these past ten years is entirely opposite of this. In the BJP's white paper on Ayodhya it has been declared:

"Ayodhya movement is a watershed in Indian history. It has proudly influenced the political destiny of India" (p.7).

Further, the BJP white paper justifies the demolition of the Babari Mosque without demure and without an iota of regret and says:

"The anger which had been welling up across the country exploded on December 6. the Karsevaks pulled down the structure. The Karsevaks did not just erase a symbol of subjugation. They did not just begin building symbol of resurgence. It was liberation".  (p.2)

It does not stop there. It declared the BJP firmly believes construction of Ram Mandir at Janamsthal is a symbol of the vindication of our cultural heritage. The party is committed to build Ram Mandir. (Election Manifesto, 1991).

Take the second example of the blatant double-speak. It relates to the use of epithet 'Hindu' with the name of. BJP. The entire history of BJP, BJS and RSS is a record of their commitment to 'Hindutva and Hinduism perceived as by them ... They have been exhorting the people to proclaim 'Garva se Kaho hum Hindu hain' (say with pride that we are Hindus) but note what Bangaru Laxman said at a foreign correspondents meet after he became the President of the party:

"Please do not label us Hindu nationalist or right wing party' rightwing, lift wing have no meaning or relevance in todays' political and economic environment. Since these labels will create pre-conceived notions about our party in our audience".

He clarified "BJP was a nationalist party not a Hindu organization". Our vision embraces every religious community, linguistic and ethnic community in our vast and diverse nation.

Asked how he would reorient the decades old mindset of the cadres saturated with Hindutva ideology, he merely said: I made an appeal in my concluding speech that the Chennai declaration should be taken to the grass- roots level workers and put before them". Is it enough to make an appeal without reviewing the basic ideology?

Another challenge before BJP is its anti-Muslim or anti-minorities image during past five decades in general and since the demolition of Babari Masjid. BJP has not changed its political philosophy according to which all inhabitants of India are 'Hindus' the BJP criteria of a  community to be considered 'patriot' or nationalist is its commitment to the entire legacy of India since the Vedic age. RSS wants every citizen of India to define himself as a 'Hindu' who believes India to be its 'Punya Bhoomi, pitri bhoomi and matri bhoomi'. RSS and BJP will not change this hegemonistic homogenizing ideology.

But it adopts a mechanical programme of 're-invent' its basis of electoral benefits ... it is also treating Muslims as a 'vote bank'. This is a part of BJP plans to expand its socio-economic base not by changing its political philosophy, but by re-inventing itself and projecting its image as a pro-Muslim party.

There is no dearth of evidence to prove that political parties are prone to changing their policies and programmes drastically for the sake of political power ...

But ... Laxman has even beaten his own predecessors in practicing the science and art of 're-inventing' ... Bharatiya Jansangh survived on the margins of mainstream politics for a quarter century. It seized the favourable opportunity created by the JP Movement against the Emergency in seventies. It deconstructed one facet of its existence, political and resorted to political euthanasia, became part of the Janata Party (1977-1979) but retained its loyalty to RSS ... In 1979 it quit Janata  Party and in 1980 BJS re-invented itself as ABJP on the  basis of Gandhian Socialism in Mumbai. In late eighties it re-invented itself as a Hindutva party on the basis of ... anti-Babari Masjid Movement and consolidated its Hindu vote, again in early nineties. It again re-invented itself as a "party with a difference". Can BJP without abandoning its Hindutva ideology extend its lease of life by re-inventing on image (of) a modern secular all- inclusive party? ... For how long ...? Can re-inventing tricks give BJP a sustainable support base?

This proclivity of the BJP to "re-invent" its image every time it faces an existential crisis inherent in its political culture which is rooted in Hindutva First. If you cannot change the objective reality change the prescription of the objective reality and re-invent it ... Second, soul is immortal (and) has to go through a series of cycles of birth and re-birth before it achieves Mukti Irom this cycle.

Will BJP's soul of Hindutva go through the series of such exercises ... till it achieves Mukti, viz sustainable absolute majority in Lok Sabha? (Source: The Young Indian. 9-15 September, 2000)