A day before the first phase of polling, at least 40 academicians and noted personalities of Assam have called upon voters not to vote for the BJP to maintain communal harmony.
Asserting that if the BJP comes to power, there would be lawlessness in the state, noted intellectual Hiren Gohain alleged, “The BJP is dangerous for peace. After the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and the RSS have taken all measures to demolish the democratic institutions and values of the country.”
In an open letter and appeal, a section of the intelligentsia also regretted that the growing influence of “mullahs” and “sadhus” has turned politics into a machine for spreading communal hatred. “Before coming to power BJP leaders said that they will not allow construction of mega dams in the Northeast. After winning the 2014 Lok Sabha elections they went back from their electoral commitment,” said Mr Gohain, defined to be a personality comfortable with the Left ideology.
Another signatory of the letter, former principal of Cotton College, Udayaditya Bharali said that the JNU incident reflects the BJP-led government’s intention to stifle freedom of thought. Equating growing intolerance with fascism, Mr Bharali said, “Fascism is the politics of patriotism. It lacks the essence of humanism.” Dramatist Sitanath Lahkar said, “If the BJP comes to power in Assam, people of of the state will invite the risk of communalism and corruption.”
However, some intellectuals quickly dissented against the appeal and said, “People have nothing to worry about. Hindus and Muslims have lived together in Assam for centuries. They are campaigning together for the BJP as it is the right alternative to the Congress,” noted writer Dayananda Borgohain said.
In what has invited angry reaction from pro-BJP intellectuals, they said that asking not to vote for the BJP implies that these intellectuals are asking to vote for the Congress.
