The Gujarat elections continue to dominate the headlines. A few months back, it looked like a no contest election, but as time passed by the ruling party started getting ‘butterflies in stomach’. The BJP swept to power in 2014 amidst hope and hype. They harvested a deliberately cultivated polarised polity. This aspect was lost in the din and bustle of the electoral victory. Rewind back to the headlines of May 2014. The country saw hope in ‘sab ka saath sab ka vikas’ slogan. 

It was expected that the country would get a slice of the so called Gujarat model which would bring ‘achche din’ for the country as enjoyed by the Gujaratis for nearly two decades. The debate built around ‘love jihad’ and ‘cow protection’ and ‘pink revolution’ leading to vigilante groups has been feeding the polarisation narrative with the PM sermonising on development. 

The Uttar Pradesh elections saw the ‘masjid kabristan’ and ‘electricity for Eid and darkness at Diwali time’ discussion by none other than the prime minister. Still the country acquitted the PM of the charge of dividing the country on religious lines, as electoral victories dilute such taints. 

It was expected that the elections in Gujarat would be report card of 22 years of ‘vikas’. The hype around the Gujarat model was punctured after the veil around it was lifted. Gujarat per capita income is one of the highest but the social indicators are on the lower side. Studies show that on inequality, poverty alleviation and human development, performance of Gujarat is similar to before the rise of Narendra Modi i.e. the growth measured in terms of infrastructure, corporate investment based upon unprecented incentives and huge subsidies has not helped the poor and those below the poverty line.

The backward groups and socially forward but economically backwards like the Patidars find no place in the type of growth that Gujarat has seen. That has shaken the majoritarian narrative in Gujarat. It was never expected that Patidars, Dalits and OBCs would come under one umbrella making the ruling party and the prime minister nervous. 

The ‘neech’ comment of Mani Shanker Aiyar is twisted to deride the PM being from a lower class. The PM could be given a benefit of doubt as everything is fair in war, love and elections. Making the atmosphere emotive and bringing the debate from the Gujarat model to his persona is certainly a move to feed the Guajarati asmita, as its chief campaigner, he may be entitled to equate insult to him as insult to Gujarat. 

The headlines last two days are regarding an alleged conspiracy by an ex PM, ex VP and Ex army Chief with a Pakistani foreign ambassador to make Ahmed Patel the CM. The allegation at election time against political opponents is nonsensical, unsubstantiated and unbelievable and an attempt to polarise the state election on religious lines. 

In 2014, we may have thought that the narrative of 1992, 2002 are behind us and that the national discourse would now be built around development. The PM understands the Gujarati psyche more than anybody else. After the 2002 riots, the hate for Muslims and fear for Pakistan is seen more in Gujarat than anywhere else. That is exploited. The Prime Minister thundered “There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s house. it was attended by Pakistan’s High Commission, Pakistan’s former foreign minister, India’s former vice-president and former prime minister Manmohan Singh,” “The next day, Aiyar called me neech”. This is a clear figment of imagination only aimed by the PM to do what he is best at, ‘Polarise’! The PM making such a serious and far reaching claim proves that he is prepared to go to any level for an electoral gain. The country is becoming a laughing stock. So what? Appears to be a reasoning. 

 Shekar Gupta tells us ‘the communal riots of 2002 weren’t the first in Gujarat. But these were the first where Gujaratis were convinced   and with good reason -  that finally the Muslims were “taught a lesson” that belief is central to Narendra Modi’s political capital in Gujarat”. We thought that Narendra Modi does turn a new leaf with his national foray. He rebranded and marketed himself as a development man. But after the veil around his model of development lifted, it is back to basics. 

Even before the ‘neech’ controversy the Supreme Court hearing the Ayodhya issue and Kapil Sibal’s request appearing for a private party was brought in poll bound Gujarat with a clear intent of creating a religious divide. Remember ISIS suspects working for Ahmed Patel’s Hospital! Their campaign is built around possibility of Congress government in Gujarat bringing in Muslim rule. Why else would posters proposing Ahmed Patel for CM spring up? The point is ‘Ahmed’ ought to be highlighted. The prime minister likened Rahul Gandhi to the Mughal dictator Aurangzeb and Congress rule as Aurangzeb-raj clearly bringing in the prominence of Muslims. The Congress and Muslims are being dumped into the Pakistani basket! When everybody attacks the Congress for playing soft Hindutva and ignoring the 10% Muslims that stood by them, Amit Shah claims that it is the Congress that is polarising the politics!

How can we ignore the HAJ (Hardik Alpesh Jignesh) barb against the three young caste leaders? The development mantra is giving way to Hindu consolidation as the last move on the political chess board. 

We thought that the time of teaching Muslims their place was over. The implications of returning to the basics is much more dangerous, but the PM feels that is the only way to deal with the rejuvenated Congress attempting to exploit the failure of the Adani-Ambani model of development. 

(The writer is practising advocate and senior faculty in law)