While spotlighting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China’s Tianjin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on its sidelines, amid the deepening chill in India-US relations, Urdu dailies kept the focus back home on the Election Commission (EC)’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The dailies highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, which culminated in Patna Monday amid a show of strength by the Opposition INDIA alliance, sensing in it the “winds of change” in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s 16-day Yatra, the Hyderabad-based Munsif, in its September 1 editorial, points out that while traversing 1,300 km through 25 districts across Bihar, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha flagged alleged “vote chori” in elections and kept his guns trained on the SIR exercise. “During his Yatra, Rahul sought to reach out directly tocommon people in villages as well as urban areas. It drew a legion of youths, women, farmers and labourers. Its success lies in the fact that it managed to project a sensitive issue like ‘electoral fraud’ on the national plane. In his rallies, Rahul underlined that a loss of voting rights could also lead to a loss of basic rights and welfare scheme benefits,” it says.
The Yatra seems to have given a “new lease of life” to the INDIA bloc, which saw the participation of a slew of its constituents, the daily notes. “It has enhanced Rahul’s popularity, especially among youth and deprived sections, and burnished his credentials as a champion of people’s rights. It has also put the EC’s conduct under public scrutiny.”
Rahul’s march would have an impact in other states, the editorial claims. “The Yatra with the avowed objective to save democracy and the Constitution has created widespread public awareness in Bihar, which could be replicated by the Opposition in other states too. This would pose a formidable challenge to the ruling BJP,” it says, adding that time will tell whether the Yatra’s public mobilisation would also translate into votes.
The daily writes that several elections in various countries, including the United States, Russia and Iran, have drawn allegations of vote fraud. “In our country, the Opposition has tried to rake up these allegations from Parliament to the streets in a sustained campaign,” it states. The issues raised by Rahul’s march have led to the creation of a “robust, unified Opposition platform”, putting the government on the back foot, the edit says, adding that the Yatra has galvanised Opposition ranks in poll-bound Bihar.
ROZNAMA RASHTRIYA SAHARA
Commenting on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks during the Sangh’s three-day lecture series, called ‘100 Years of the Sangh’s Journey – New Horizons’, the New Delhi edition of Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, in its September 1 editorial, flags his statement on the disputed sites in Kashi and Mathura, saying that it betrayed the Sangh’s “cynical politics” and “double standards”. “While Bhagwat says that the RSS will not associate with the movement for claiming Kashi and Mathura sites, he also asserts that Sangh volunteers can take part in them. This is the same old playbook that led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid, inflicting a wound on the country,” it says. “Such remarks meant to provoke communal sentiments have come at a time when the BJP government finds itself in a spot over weakening economy, farmers’ suicides, price rise, growing unemployment, ‘vote fraud’ allegations and steep US tariffs.”
Referring to the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the daily says this law prohibits conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of their religious character as it existed on August 15, 1947, barring the Ayodhya dispute, which was then sub-judice. “As per this law, status quo must be maintained in both Mathura and Kashi. However, the Sangh leadership seems bent on challenging it, which would be an insult of the Constitution. The CPI(M) and other secular and democratic forces have condemned it,” the edit states.
Bhagwat also suggested that Muslims should willingly hand over the sites of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and the Eidgah mosque in Mathura for the construction of temples there for the sake of “brotherhood”, the editorial notes. Such a precondition for harmony could only drive a wedge between the communities, it says. “While the RSS chief makes a pitch for equality, religious diversity and eradication of caste discrimination, it sounds hollow because in reality the Sangh does not practise it, looking to polarise society instead, in a bid to deflect attention from real social and economic problems.”
SIASAT
Pointing to reports that the ruling NDA in Bihar has virtually worked out a consensus over seat-sharing for the polls, the Hyderabad-based Siasat, in its August 27 leader, says that as per their broad formula, both the JD(U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the BJP would contest an equal number of seats, around 100 each, of the state’s 243 seats. Union minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan has been demanding 40 seats. “The NDA has decided to face the Bihar elections under Nitish’s leadership. Also, despite being the senior ally, the BJP is going to concede over 100 seats to the JD(U). This indicates the BJP’s compulsion in Bihar’s electoral landscape, where the party would not want to contest on its own steam,” the editorial says.
On the other hand, Nitish has been grappling with health issues, which may have a bearing on the JD(U)’s fortunes in the near future, the edit says. “If the NDA does not return to power, the JD(U) may even unravel amid buzz that in such an eventuality its several leaders may switch their loyalties and join the BJP or the RJD,” it claims. An “anti-incumbency” atmosphere also seems to be building up against Nitish after his 20-year stint at the helm of Bihar, which has continued to lag behind on the development front, it says. “So Nitish also cannot contest the polls solo and has to stick to the BJP, with both parties locked in an alliance of compulsion.”
Also, in the face of a resurgent Opposition alliance comprising the RJD and Congress, the going has become tougher for the NDA, the daily says. “The BJP seems to be waiting for an opportune time to up the ante, which could come after the polls. While banking on Nitish’s face to reach the majority mark, the BJP may then try to ease him out from his top position,” it claims, adding that the BJP has also thrown its weight behind Chirag, a known Nitish-baiter, to rein in its key partner.