Using ‘Terrorism’ as a political gimmick!
Bhat Zaieem
The Narendra Modi led BJP government has been struggling to maintain its image and the euphoria that was created before 2014 elections and gave them a sweeping mandate to rule the country. The multiple reasons of this regression were evident and, as a last minute resort, many of the members of the ruling party saw political refuge in a much tested narrative i.e Terrorism. The intensity of this discourse saw a further high with the Pulwama attack since then Modi led BJP hasn’t missed even a single chance of politicizing the issue.
While the whole India was mourning the loss of 49 security personals in Pulwama attack, political parties were gearing up for using the same for their political interests. The repeated creation of political hustle and bustle under the shadow of word ‘Terrorism’ particularly by BJP has achieved new heights in decades of Indian history.
It has been observed that the political discourses in South Asia-particularly in India and Pakistan- are completely based on diplomacy of terrorism and politicians often make it appear more gigantic in order to overshadow hundreds of issues of public interest. It has become a lifeline for several political outfits in India’s political scenario to define themselves, their ideology and their roadmap by what they perceive as the biggest threat or want people to perceive so.
Although the word terrorism is a misnomer and is often used selectively, the main marketing agent for it is the media- the jingoistic Indian media that nearly led two nuclear armed nations on the path of war – for their TRP’s and petty interests.
It is the Indian masses that will have to make a choice as the elections are nearing. People must contemplate this time and should be able to differentiate between what is wrong and what is right for the country’s future. If India wants peace in the subcontinent, it has to live upto the image of the ‘biggest democracy in the world’ and uphold its secular ethos that are embedded in its constitution.
It is also imperative that, in order to carve a niche in the ever developing and progressing world, India and Pakistan must initiate a process of dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues between them- the most tantalizing being Kashmir issue which has been lingering on for decades now. The people of Kashmir, it must be understand, deserve to live peacefully and the cycle of death and destruction has to come to an end.
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