Across the aisle by P Chidambaram: Supremacy or democracy?

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Key Points

A reference to the Bajrang Dal, a strong-arm political outfit that indulges in hate speech and often violence, was twisted as a reference to Bajrang Bali (devotees of Lord Hanuman)...

Caste and sub-caste hierarchies and casteist supremacists have prevailed for centuries until reformists such as Basaveswara, Jyotiba Phule, Narayana Guru, EVR Periyar Ramaswami, Babasaheb Ambedkar and others campaigned relentlessly against caste.Yet the scourge of caste grips India...

BJPs campaign took a dangerous turn when it appealed to voters to chant Jai Bajrang Balibefore they cast their votes.This was an egregious violation of the election laws and a supine Election Commission did absolutely nothing about it.Karnatakas population has 12.92% Muslims and 1.87% Christians (Census 2011)..

As far as I know, not once has the leadership of the BJP condemned the lynching of Muslims, the vandalising of Christian churches, the threats to young couples or the violence unleashed by vigilante groups.Religious supremacists are on the rampage..

Karnatakas voters have the first opportunity to stop the dangerous slide into tribalism and save democracy from religious supremacists.When you read this column on Sunday, you will get a clue to what the future holds..

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