Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday took a dig at the BJP government, asserting that the recent Lok Sabha election results indicate that India is not a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. According to him, there is a need to be “politically open-minded”, especially when India is a secular country with a secular Constitution.
“I do not think the idea of turning India into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is appropriate…That India is not a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ only has been reflected in the election results,” Sen told the media, as quoted by news agency PTI.
In the recently concluded general elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 240 seats. However, it fell short of the simple majority mark of 272 in the 543-strong Lok Sabha. This led to the BJP becoming dependent on its allies—N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U)—to form the government at the Centre. The Congress bagged 99 seats, while the Opposition’s INDIA bloc won 234 seats.
The 90-year-old economist went on to express displeasure over several leaders being put behind bars without trial.
“We always hope to see a change after every election…Some of what happened earlier (during the BJP-led central government), like putting people behind bars without trial and widening the gap between the rich and poor, are continuing. That must stop,” he said.
Sen recalled that during his childhood – when India was under British rule – people were jailed without any trial.
“When I was young, many of my uncles and cousins were put in jail without trial. We had hoped that India would be free from this. Congress is also to blame for the fact that this did not stop. They didn’t change it…But, this is more in practice under the present government,” he added.
According to Sen, the new union Cabinet is a “copy” of the earlier one.
“…The ministers continue to hold similar portfolios. Despite a slight reshuffle, the politically powerful are still powerful,” he told the media.
Amartya Sen on BJP losing Ayodhya seat in Faizabad
The Nobel laureate said that the BJP lost the Ayodhya seat in Faizabad despite building the Ram Temple as attempts were made to overshadow the country’s true identity.
“Building the Ram Temple spending so much money… to portray India as a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, which should not have happened in the country of Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. It shows an attempt to neglect India’s true identity, and it must change,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
