Words can be funny; all iterations can be even funnier. The elevation of "Hindutva" firebrand Yogi Adityanath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has triggered a war of words that could topple the Tower of Babel. Yet, the five words used in the headline actually sum up what is happening in contemporary Indian politics. And there will be co sequences for the economy.
Ram is very simple. In this context, it is metaphorical. Fifty-five years after founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee led the Bhartiya Jan Sangh to 3 seats in the first Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has finally, and unquestionably. Exams the most formidable political force in the country. Intellectuals and pundits now describe BJP as a hegemon. Much has been written about the various reasons for the relentless rise of the BJP. There is much hand-wringing about the dangerous consequences of majoritarianism. But let's face it. The BJP has unabashedly flaunted its "Hindu" credentials. That not new. What's new is that it has convinced a large number of castes and sub-castes to do the same. Six decades of "Hinduphobia" has finally led to this. Ram just becomes a metaphor for this political churn.
What about Rahim? Truly liberal Indians would feel sorry for Muslims. They are being hammered with a double whammy. On one side are Hindutva zealots who think mistrusting, hating and baiting Muslims is a sacred nationalist duty. On the other, fear mongers and vote bank contractors continue treating them like herds of cattle. Amidst all this, a majority of Muslims suffer from degrading poverty, malnutrition and lack of access to meaningful education and livelihood opportunities. The question is: has the arrival of Modi on the national stage damaged the community further? Modi critics would say yes, but the fact is that there is no evidence of discrimination. Rather, schemes like Mudra loans, Jan Dhan accounts and free LPG cylinders have benefited Muslims as much as other communities. That's not enough to persuade Muslims that they can trust Modi or Yogi Adityanath. But it's a better beginning than expected and feared.
Which brings us to Romeo and Rambo. Despite progress, women in India face the worst kind of discrimination and oppression. Hindus publicly pray at the altar of the "Mother" but indulge in female foeticide which is as good as genocide. And no girl or woman feels safe on the streets. One less talked about the reason for the rout of Akhilesh Yadav despite his personal popularity is that goons brazenly harassed, stalked, molested and raped girls and women with no fear of the law. The controversial anti- Romeo squads must be analysed in this context. For such mi Es to be effective, the administration is headed by a Rambo-like a figure of Adityanath. He may fail spectacularly for all we know. But both Modi and Adityanath seem to realize the power of Romeo and Rambo in contemporary narrative.
And finally, that leaves us with Rome. Sure, images of Sonia Gandhi and her Italian heritage come to mind when talk of Rome. But that is a totally wrong comparison. Voters in India have repeatedly shin that they accept Sonia as an Indian. Rome here refers to the liberal establishment in India which has tried to ram down western concepts of secularism and politics on Indians. Many display a visceral hatred for Hindu traditions and practices that are astonishing. The Indian voter has given a response to this Rome gang.
But these are words and war of words. What really matters is something else. All other BIMARU states except UP like Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar have shown GDP growth near double digits over the last decade or so. In the same time period, UP has barely managed a rate of 5 per cent to 6 per cent. Imagine the impact on the Indian economy if the largest state of India clocks double-digit growth rates. If that miracle can happen, Ram, Rahim and Rome will become increasingly irrelevant.
