While the shocking nature of the comments made by Lata Dhavalikar the wife of the Factories and Boilers Minister Deepak Dhavalikar, have run its course, these are not ad hoc expressions of a Hindutva brigade which has undertaken a religion protective drive. In fact the only “religion” behind these remarks is clear cold politics.
The MGP has gone on an over drive to create and claim the equivalent of the Shiv Sena space in Goa. However unlike the canvas on which the Sena painted its political colours, the MGP is dealing with the Goa of today which is fed up to its gills of politician playing religious cards.
The attack on convent schools, and so called western culture is nothing but a different serving of the same cold and calculated offering by the Shiv Sena, the Sri Ram Sene and other organizations. However the Shiv Sena sought to tap at the heart strings of the Marathi heartland, by its attack on Valentine day celebrations and other assorted tactics. But it soon became clear that this was a fight for reclaiming the Marathi identity and not a religious battle.
For the MGP, this is completely about its desire to reclaim the political space it once had. Virtually every controversial remark which appeared off the cuff, by the MGP, in the last one year was carefully well timed. Sudin Dhavalikar’s call for a ban on bikinis and having a separate section on the beach for ladies, was meant for a certain audience which would welcome these remarks in pockets where the MGP is trying to regain ground.
At the same time, the MGP feels that the BJP is so trapped in governance, that it does not have the foresight to nurture the right wing religious, cultural space. Therefore, however preposterous it may seem or sound, when Mrs Lata Dhavalikar condemns convent schools or abhors western culture or manner of dressing, since it invites rapists, she is not looking for support or endorsement from a larger Goa or even the English media. These remarks were made in a committed constituency of the Sanatan Saunstha, with the ulterior motive of being read and spoken about in Ponda, Bicholim, Sanguem and Quepem.
This is where the battle ground is. The MGP is in no mood to play second fiddle and nor is willing to give up any space beyond the normal to the BJP. That is why its ministers either give or support statements which are contrary to the alliance line, or make it to the national media. For the MGP, this is destination reached.
In this context, much as Manohar Parrikar would lead us to believe that the MGP is a dedicated alliance partner, it’s clear that this arrangement is hanging by its threads. The BJP also needs to be careful in calibrating its responses. Someone like Dr Wilfred Mesquita, the party’s most acceptable non-Hindu, leader who is also a spokesperson, and other like-minded people are at a loss since there is no clear party line on some of the remarks made by the MGP. The BJP should either accept the remarks – which it cannot – or clearly distance the government from these remarks.
From the MGP’s point of view the more it manages to polarize in the remote villages in smaller constituencies, the greater are its chances of troubling the BJP. Its remarks are certainly lip service. But to ensure lip smacking results in the next elections.
