6 Jan, 2015
Rise of Hindutva lobby poses a tough question to Modi – Hindustan Times
by Vir Sanghvi
There are, broadly speaking, two views on why Narendra Modi led the BJP to such an overwhelming victory in last year’s general election. The first is the view of some members of his party and the extended Sangh parivar. According to this view, Modi won because India’s Hindu majority decided it wanted a leader who broke the secular consensus of old, and was proudly and aggressively Hindu. Modi’s victory was the victory of the Hindutva agenda and a manifestation of the desire of India’s Hindus to reclaim their country.
The second view is that Modi’s victory had relatively little to do with aggressive Hindutva. He won on a platform of clean and good governance and because he was able to point to his development record in Gujarat. India had tired of the corruption scandals and the indecision that marked UPA 2. After having watched appalled as a weak-kneed Manmohan Singh sleep-walked through the last three years of his prime ministership, the electorate wanted a strong leader; a man who did not fear anyone, who did not take orders from party high commands and whose word was final.
Read the rest: Rise of Hindutva lobby poses a tough question to PM – Hindustan Times.
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