The deep strategy behind the stupid ‘mytho-scientific’ statements of BJP leaders

Samvartha ‘Sahil’ | coastaldigest.com
April 19, 2018

Biplab Kumar Deb, the Chief Minister of Tripura, recently made a controversial comment which has since then gone viral and within a day has garnered support from many including the Governor of the state. Speaking at a Regional Workshop on Computerisation and Reforms at Pragna Bhawan in Agartala on April 17, 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said that the internet was invented by India and substantiated his claim by explaining thus: "Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. How could Sanjaya (the charioteer of King Dhritarashtra in the epic) give a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra? It means internet was there, the satellites and that technology were there in this country at that time.”

As expected the statement met great criticism where the social media went mad mocking the statement and extending it to severe jokes around the text of Mahabharata and the possible connections one could make to the details of the text with internet and satellite.

While on the surface it appears like an act of stupidity on the part of the BJP to be repeatedly making similar statements, if one has to think why the party members make such statements, even if they believe it to be true, again and again when every time their statements of this kind is laughed at mocked at and ridiculed.

What looks like an act of stupidity might be a strategy too, it appears.

The reason for me to arrive at this suspicion is simple: When someone from the Sangh Parivar makes such claims, within no time the critics of the BJP and the RSS along with some liberals come up with several memes and jokes which more than often appear like ridiculing the text of Mahabharata and Ramayana than actually ridiculing the BJP or the RSS. This to the majoritarian community members, including a lot of apolitical kinds, get a feeling that their religion is facing threat and is being disrespected. This sense of threat makes them extend their support to the BJP which claims to be for the safeguard of the majoritarian community. So when the saffronists make stupid statements and invite the opponents and liberals to respond to it, the chief beneficiary is the BJP and its mother institution the RSS.

This works for the BJP and the RSS as they wish because of the decades of work they have done by which they have politicized religion and more importantly historicized mythology and mystified history. Years of effort has not just made Ayodhaya, a historically not so significant pilgrimage centre for the Hindus, into a significant centre in the minds of the Hindus, but also linked the mythological texts of Mahabharata and Ramayana to the identity of Hindus. Though it was Anandavardhana who centuries ago first called the ‘kaavya’ of Mahabharata, a ‘shaastra’, bringing about a major shift in the way epics are perceived, it was the 20th century politics of the RSS which linked both Mahabharata and especially Ramayana, to the identity of the Hindus and also politicized religion and thus the texts. With that achieved now whenever who critiques the texts of Mahabharata and Ramayana or mocks at it, end up not just “hurting the religious sentiments” of Hindus, though neither of them are religious texts, but also cements the support of Hindus for the BJP.

The greatest tragedy of all this is the texts of Mahabharata and Ramayana becoming either a text to worship or ridicule. While the BJP and its supporters do a religious reading of the epics, the liberals and radicals do a very ideological reading of the epics. Both the extremes fail to see the texts as poetry, as an inquiry into the human existence. Both the extremes distort the inherent philosophy of the text. In this boxing ring we all have lost a poetry which has the ability to illuminate our lives.

If it’s the poetry which is lost in this tug of war, the clear cut winner is of course the BJP, which reaps the benefits also of the criticism that comes their way.

The radicals need to find ways in which the strategies of the BJP can be punctured; especially when it comes to texts such as Mahabharata and Ramayana. Else the valid and creative criticism of the ways in which the BJP looks at these texts will go a waste and only become a cause for strengthening the base of the BJP. While it is difficult now for the radicals to call out the BJP for distorting the epics by politicizing them, the least they can do and should do is not to fall into the trap and help the rightist ideology.

 

[Samvartha ‘Sahil’ is a freelance writer based out of Manipal, Karnataka. An alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune he has earlier worked as an academician at Manipal University and as a journalist with The Hindu. His book on the travel experiences in Jammu and Kashmir during the 2016 uprising is about to be published by the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi.]

Comments

Arron Menezes
 - 
Saturday, 12 May 2018

This is a  valid explanation. either i too dnt see any possible benefit in connecting religion to todays science.

there is one more point, negative publicity also makes more impact than positive one. ridiculing our epics will create impact as rightly said attacking religious views, and feeling of endangerment.

 

Indians are by and far religious in nature and anything spoken against, religion or god makes them offended. that negativity will subliminally helps to negate anything else to flurish. Reasoning becomes less when one is overwhelmed by negativity.

 

nice article. looking forward for more.

J. M.
 - 
Friday, 20 Apr 2018

seems like a typical left conspiracy theorist.

 

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

- Hanlons Razer

Hari
 - 
Thursday, 19 Apr 2018

The reason behind the "fool decision" strategy is simple..

 

 
By those decision we may mock them, but wont protest against him. and he can easily divert people's attention from the actual issue/sim/trick

Xavier
 - 
Thursday, 19 Apr 2018

Even Modi's intention is different.. actually they making us fool by pretending as fools. That Digital money issue proves their hidden agenda. He made Paytm owner a richer guy by  one night.

Danish
 - 
Thursday, 19 Apr 2018

Great observation.. good job sahil

Kumar
 - 
Thursday, 19 Apr 2018

True.. Some fools might be there in BJP but party wont consist fully with only fools

Ganesh
 - 
Thursday, 19 Apr 2018

I felt the same. They are making us fool

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March 29,2020

Madikeri, Mar 29: In an alarming situation in neighbouring Kerala State and instances of inter-state migration of Coronavirus suspects, the authorities on Sunday sealed both Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu borders, prohibiting entry of people from Kerala into Karnataka.

Dakshina Kannada had sealed its borders after repeated instances of people misusing ambulance services to travel to Mangalore. Villagers along with the police hauled mud on to the roads that were used as alternate routes.

The road that connects the two States, which people from east Kasargod used to enter into Karnataka, were closed at Mulleria by dumping mud on the road.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 8,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 8: Kannada television actor Susheel Gowda has reportedly committed suicide in his home town Mandya.

 According to reports, the actor killed himself yesterday. The exact reason for suicide hasn't been revealed yet. 

The news has come as a shock to many celebrities. The actor was over 30 years of age and had acted in TV shows. 

He played a role in serial Anthapura and was looking forward to establishing himself in the Kannada Film Industry. Other than an actor, he was also a fitness trainer. 

Shocked by the news of Susheel Gowda's death, Duniya Vijay wrote on Facebook (translated), "When I first saw him I thought he is a hero material. Even before the movie got released he has left us too soon. Whatever may be the problem suicide is not the answer. I think the series of deaths will not end this year. It is not only because of Coronavirus people fear, people are losing faith because they don’t have job which can give them the money to lead a life. It is high time to stay stronger to overcome the crisis."

Susheel Gowda has played the role of a cop in the upcoming film Salaga. It stars Duniya Vijay in the leading role.

Susheel's co-star Amita Ranganath said, "I got the news from my friend. I still can’t believe that he is no more. He was such a sweet and soft hearted person who never loses his cool. It’s been very sad to know that he has left us so early. He had the talent to achieve more in the entertainment industry.” 

Director of the serial Anthpura, Aravind Koushik on his face book page posted "Sad news I heard . Susheel Gowda who played the lead in the tv serial Antahpura that I directed is no more . Rest in Peace."

She also shared a picture with Susheel on her Instagram story and expressed her grief.

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News Network
February 18,2020

Mangaluru, Feb 18: Customs at International Airport here have seized Rs 58.95 lakh worth gold in two incidents and arrested two smugglers, Customs Commissionerate said on Monday.

According to the department, two men have been arrested by the customs officials in two separate incidents last evening for attempting to smuggle gold into the country valuing over Rs. 58.95 Lakhs.

In the first incident, Muhammed Swalih Chappathodi, 22, hailing from Malappuram, Kerala who arrived from Dubai by Spice jet flight concealed capsules containing gold in paste form inside his rectum which upon purification resulted in the recovery of 797 gm of 24 karats valued at Rs.32,35,820.

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