In these elections, precisely that party, the RSS-backed BJP, is attempting to stage a come-back whose 13 months in power have been an unmitigated disaster and have pushed the country into an economic, political and socio-cultural morass, eroding its standing in the comity of nations. Bereft of any substantial issues of concern for the masses and any achievement during its 13 months in office and later as a caretaker, the BJP is simply trying to rouse chauvinistic passions among the people in order to divert their attention from the real issues. This is evidently their only hope.

PROPAGANDA BARRAGE

This is the reason the BJP has now let loose a propaganda barrage of astronomical proportions -- not only in the government controlled electronic media but also with the help of the corporate press whose owners are solidly backing the BJP as their best bet, in order to safeguard their base class interests. Truly the country had never before seen such gross abuse of electronic media as it has witnessed during the last few months in particular. In fact, the information and broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan, with his devious attempts to throttle the autonomy of even Prasar Bharti, has earned such a dubious distinction in this regard as would make even the likes of Goebbels envious.

At the same time, bulk of the print media too has given up all pretensions of neutrality and objectivity, and is solidly backing the RSS-BJP drive to relegate the weighty issues to the background. Stuffed with staunch pro-RSS men from top to bottom, the corporate press and TV channels are trying their best to project as if the BJP is set to win the polls.

The recent surveys conducted by India Today, with a committed RSS man as editor, and by The Times of India, fall in this very category, showing how the press is trying to mould public opinion in favour of the BJP led combination and thus pre-determine the outcome of the polls. A very casual glance at these surveys would show that, as in the past, these were based on very purposefully selected samples that were mainly urban based, highly unrepresentative and with a built-in bias that was only deliberate. Needless to say, as most of such surveys in the past turned to be merely figments of imagination, most probably the same is going to happen with the recent ones also.

OPPORTUNISTS PAR EXCELLENCE

In these elections the BJP is also trying to use the crutches of the "National Democratic Alliance" (NDA) to regain power. But here also, as pointed out earlier in these columns, it is not going to have a smooth sail; in fact the NDA is beset with such inner contradictions as would not allow the BJP to have its way without headaches. Its deal with the BJD in Orissa and the question of entertaining the so called Janata Dal (United) in the NDA are still unresolved. The last one month has been witness to a sordid drama on the JD(U) issue.

On the other hand, the BJP is constantly abusing the opposition for the downfall of its government, for which they themselves are responsible. Why do they forget that by its very nature their alliance, a thoroughly opportunist one, was unstable and set to doom from the very outset? Is it not a fact that, instead of attending to their business, all their senior ministers were busy placating the allies every now and then? Is it not a fact that defence minister Fernandes had no time for the country's defence and was simply incapable of paying heed to what was taking place on our northern borders?

In so far as the BJP's own role is concerned, can one forget that they have set up new records in opportunism? What is called the "Kalyan Singh formula" -- of horse trading and of disrupting other parties with the help of money and muscle power -- has been their own original contribution to Indian democracy, albeit of a very dubious value! Can the people forget that they tried to use the same formula at the centre as well -- in May 1996 as well as later? This was the height of the "political morality" they talk about! Did not they enter into a quid pro quo with the TDP last year to come to power, after they had failed to win a majority despite their alliances with at least 17 parties in all parts of India?

"FEEL-GOOD RHETORIC"

It is no wonder therefore that the prime minister's independence day speech has been virtually silent on the genuine problems facing the Indian people. The speech dwelt on many issues -- Pokhran II, nuclear policy, Kargil, national pride, and what not -- except the issues of poverty, starvation, lack of education for millions of children, mass illiteracy, unemployment, lack of drinking water, lack of housing for the people, and the like. But, for an outfit controlled by the RSS that never tires of talking of the country's "spiritualistic" values, such mundane issues are plainly of no value!

On the day, Vajpayee also talked of inducting Agni-2 into the country's defence arsenal. But he evidently had no idea of the plain fact that his was a vain attempt to take credit for its development, for which our scientists had been working over years. Also, while no patriotic citizen ignores the issue of the country's defence -- let not the BJP pretend that it is its exclusive concern -- the fact remains that defence is not so much a matter of arms and ammunition as of the country's strength in economic and other fields, precisely where the BJP led government has been a dismal failure.

It is therefore no wonder that The Hindu (August 16) dubbed Vajpayee's speech as "a mixture of feel-good rhetoric, nationalistic sentimentalism and tough talk directed at Pakistan," as a "political essay" in which "there were enough pats on the back of his government."

The prime minister's speech was thus symptomatic of what type of poll campaign the BJP and allies want to run -- one in which real issues are relegated to the background and others are crowned as the real issues, to the BJP's advantage.

JINGOIST FRENZY

In fact, what The Hindu describes as "nationalistic sentimentalism" is but another name for out and out jingoist and chauvinist frenzy which the RSS brigade is trying to rouse as the only hope for the BJP. This was evident quite early in Vajpayee's tenure in office, in May 1998 if not earlier, when the government decided to explode nuclear bombs. This was the beginning of the process of reversing the consensual foreign and nuclear policy India had been pursuing since the early 1950s. This policy was based on a national consensus that, while the country must achieve nuclear capability, it must not go in for actual weaponisation and concentrate on the peaceful uses of atomic power, and at the same time it must strive for total, no partial, elimination of nuclear weapons from the world. This is what the interests of the entire human race, particularly the third world, demanded. But it was precisely this policy which the BJP government reversed.

And with what result? Not to talk of the huge expenditures involved in developing nuclear weapons, which resources could be more gainfully employed in socio-economic spheres, India has lost its goodwill among the developing countries that was earned after decades of labour in the foreign policy sphere. This isolation of the country in international arena will no doubt cost it very dearly, to which the government is oblivious.

Even in our neighbourhood the policy has proved its total bankruptcy. For at least two decades and a half, our policy of using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes had restrained Pakistan from going nuclear, but the Vajpayee government's myopic policy gave Pakistan just the excuse it wanted, and it tested nuclear weapons immediately after India did.

This myopia was also evident from the bombastic statement Advani and Khurana had issued immediately after Pokhran II, saying Pakistan must not interfere in Kashmir as we have an atom bomb now. But did the possession of nuclear arms prevent Pakistan from sending intruders in Kargil? Is it not a patent proof of the government's bankrupt defence policy?

It is in this context that one can judge the real security value of the draft nuclear policy issued by the caretaker government even without discussing it in the Union cabinet. It is plain that this document represents only one more attempt to rouse base passions in order to garner votes for the BJP. However, what will be the cost of this nuclear race in South Asia for the people, is not difficult to estimate.

And all this has been taking place when even minimal requirements of our armed forces, like spare parts, boots, anti-glare goggles, etc, have been neglected by the government. The nation learnt of this lapse from the Kargil conflict, but at a very heavy cost.

AUTHORITARIAN DRIVE

But all this is very natural for a party whose only 13 months in office have caused unprecedented miseries for the people. The people have not forgot the sky rocketing onion prices and dropsy deaths, to name just two gifts of the BJP led regime. And now, even though the rabi season has just ended, wheat prices are simply refusing to come down, courtesy the BJP-backed grain dealers. Vegetable prices have also gone up; ginger is selling at Rs 60 or more per kg.

However, steeped neck deep in corrupt deals, the government has simply no inkling of the people's difficulties. They are too busy minting money via telecom and other deals to spare time for thinking about the people.

Not surprisingly, the recently released NDA manifesto has been silent on the unfulfilled promises made to the people in 1998 elections. It has rather repeated the same promises anew -- a telling commentary on their record in office.

It is with such an abhorrent record in office that the BJP has been and is still talking of constitutional changes -- a euphemism for murdering democracy under the facade of democracy. The RSS lobby has already set its committed cadres in a large number of key positions and now wants a constitutional sanction for its perpetuation in power. True the recent NDA manifesto has avoided talking of a presidential system of governance, but it still talked of a mandatory five year term for the Lok Sabha and state legislatures which can only mean one thing -- with its help, the BJP will be able to remain in power by resorting to one permutation now and one combination then, and that too without having to give an account to the people for full five years! Just as in Haryana it enjoyed power in Bansilal's company for three years, dumped him when the coalition government got discredited, and is now supporting Chautala, thus enjoying power without being answerable to the people of the state.

Earlier also, even within the present constitutional dispensation, the BJP had given more than enough glimpse of its authoritarian character, and one can well judge to what extent it would go in case the constitutional changes it proposes are carried out. If it carried out numerous attacks on minorities under the present system, what security they would be able to feel in case these changes fortify the BJP's position?

That is why we have been again and again stressing that federalism and secularism form two pillars of India's unity, and that both are being threatened by the BJP led combination. But what concern the BJP -- or for that matter, its power hungry, opportunist allies -- have for national unity?