When the (BJP) emerged on the centre of the political stage after the advent of what has been described as the Mandalisation of Indian politics, it chose the strategy of creating a consolidated Hindu vote bank. For it to achieve some degree of success in this direction, it was imperative for it to adopt an anti-Muslim, anti-minority stance and advocate the ideology of Hindutva ...

One consequence of this political strategy was that the party managed to emerge as the single largest party in Parliament but failed to muster adequate support to form a Government on its own. It ended up leaning on the clutches of a motley crowd of political formations with diverse ideological leanings.

This dilemma for the BJP has been becoming quite prominent as some of the Hindu castes ... particularly the OBCs and the Dalits - whose support it had succeeded in garnering in the name of Hindutva, are slowly getting weaned away from the party. This is already well illustrated by the current political developments in states like Uttar Pradesh ... Forced by this situation, the BJP had realised that its chances of success at the hustings, as well  as in terms of the legitimacy ... is seriously in jeopardy until it can broaden its political base. Laxman's plea clearly reflects that concern.

Whether the BJP can improve upon its record ... has to be assessed in the light of two factors. One, whether the party can launch upon a policy of appeasement to win over the Muslims to its side without risking whatever is left of its Hindu support base. Two, whether the tenuous balance in which the party is placed by the dependence on ... diverse political formations - most of whom enjoy some support among the Muslims and other minority communities - would be seriously disturbed if the party starts cutting into the very support base of those parties ...

On both counts, the situation does not look too good for the BJP. If the party starts making overtures to Muslims all too suddenly, it will open itself up to the charge of appeasing the minorities. - a charge, till the other day, it was hurling at its political opponents. Also, the party's already eroded support base could be further depleted by hardcore sections of the Hindus – including the RSS leadership and cadres - being pushed away to a yet extreme Right position..

I the BJP leadership genuinely pursues a programme of mobilisation of Muslims and other minorities on its side, the chances are that the party would either split or its traditional linkage with the RSS would be put to severe strain. One can only speculate whether the party is in a position to risk its traditional relationship with the RSS and whether the latter can go so far as to shed its anti- Muslim, anti-minority stance in order to allow the BJP to broaden its political base. In that case, the very raisen d'etre for the organisation's existence would be lost.

On the other hand, assuming that the BJP is able to pursue a strategy of winning over the Muslims and other minority communities to its side, this will definitely put the relationship between the BJP and its alliance partners under strain - which in turn may eventually result in the collapse of the Government ...

In the event of the collapse of the Government, the allies would again take an anti-BJP stance and the BJP would be hard put to revert to its old anti-Muslim, anti-minority agenda ...

... One question still remains. How are the Muslims and other minorities likely to respond to the call given by Laxman? Going by the current sensibilities of the minority communities, it is clear that they are likely to reject Laxman's call as another political slogan ... Muslims' sense of insecurity ... was a part of their political sensibility. This sensibility has been deeply strengthened during the period the BJP has been at the centre of power So much so that the average Muslim is beginning to ask whether it is a good thing to be a Muslim in India.

At best, Muslims would like to wait and watch on how the BJP washes its past sins before they commit themselves in any meaningful manner to the party ... (Source: The Hindustan Times, 22 September 2000)

Seema Mustafa On India's Hindu Identity in US Eyes

... It's interesting how happily the US administration is encouraging the Hindu right wing credentials of the government by organizing Hindu prayers at the US Congress just before it was addressed by the Prime Minister of secular, plural India ...

It is a deliberate policy with the US revelling in the art of doublespeak, just as our Prime. Minister does. On the one hand the US secretary of state Madeleine Albright releases a report indicting the Indian government for its treatment of the minorities, and the US Congress invites Indian minorities to depose before its Committee on Religious Freedom while on the other, it felicitates Vajpayee with the Vedas.

Such is the way of the US. After all, even in Pakistan, terrorism was initially nurtured and cultivated by the US before it became an inherent part of that country's polity. As it would have, given the fact that Pakistan had been born on the basis of a separate religious identity. And it is no coincidence that after 50 years of keeping a long distance from India, the US now moves in to forge new links only after a group committed to a theocratic state comes to power in Delhi ... (Source: The Asian Age, 16 Sept .. 2000)