Tundla Junction

In the wake of the violence in Bombay, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with its sister organizations, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has instituted a strategic plan for protecting India from further attacks. The plan unveiled at a press conference presided over by Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi calls for a radical new approach to combat the root causes of all violence.

The plan is to require all Indians to be able to recite the Gayathri Mantra when called upon to do so by law enforcement agencies. Those non-Hindus who are unable to recite the Mantra will be asked to prove that they are otherwise Vedic-ally qualified to be residents of India. The Vedic qualifications have not as yet been decided but the Chief Minister mentioned that it would involve clear proof of possessing the uniquely Hindu values of gentleness, compassion, non-violence, vegetarianism and daily bathing (it is expected that vested interest groups such as slum dwellers may attempt to lobby the government for a relaxation of this criterion).

The BJP leadership acknowledged that the plan was a response to its being accused of anti-Muslim bias. “We are committed to peace and non-violence. This is our generous gesture to Muslims to give them a chance to reduce their bad karma”, Mr.Modi said. Political analysts say that the brilliance of the plan is in the fact that the Gayathri Mantra is a quick and easy way for law enforcement agencies to weed out bad elements since it can be recited in less than a minute. It is expected that door-to-door checks by law enforcement agencies will be conducted during India-Pakistan cricket matches as being able to recite the mantra under extreme pressure will be key to separating Indians from non-Indians.

The Gayathri Mantra in school curriculums all over the country is an additional step taken by the BJP to showcase itself as a party that caters to all religious communities as they embark on the path to achieve great Hindu ideals. The BJP has said that it believes recitation of the Mantra from childhood will help Muslim children to at least move away from the devious path of Islam. “Obviously, they can not aspire to reach the same exalted state as Hindus in this lifetime. But, if they work hard and shun Islam resolutely, it is possible that in their next life they may get rid of some of their bad karma and be born as at least low-caste Hindus”. The BJP believes that if the Mantra is put into effect right away, the pressures felt by low-caste Hindus to convert to other (inferior) religions will soon disappear.

The Muslim leadership had a cautiously optimistic response to the BJP effort. “We are thrilled that we are finally getting a chance to be full-fledged citizens of India. The BJP leadership has assured us that the poverty and discrimination that has led to our youth being radicalized will be eradicated by the power of the Mantra.”