Haldwani – The Toolkit for 2024

The only hope that the opposition has for succeeding in 2024 is not just communal polarisation but beyond that – unrest and riots. Having realized that communal polarisation goes in favour of the BJP, illiberal seculars believe that the average peace-loving Hindu will turn away from BJP out of fear of violence and an urge to live peacefully. The opposition believes that an average Hindu will not look beyond newspaper stories, tired of the repeated cycle of violence, the Hindu community might give up on a bright future for the nation; preferring a life of a second class much-abused citizen whose only fault is that he/she is a Hindu.




It is this belief that has fuelled opposition support for Haldwani encroachers. A case of land grab and encroachments has been turned into a communal issue. Finding that communal angle has gone against them, the opposition parties began playing double game now – blending communal angle with human rights angle.

However, one only needs to look at the social media propaganda. It is clearly an attempt to create another Shaheen Bagh. The words like “How difficult it is to be a Muslim in India” will be getting amplified via the global network. Opposition calculation is that this government is sensitive about its image as a liberal party that cares for minorities and it will buckle down as it did in Shaheen Bagh. Laying siege is easy if the state is unwilling to use force.

Now, let me go back to the basics.

One – Uttarakhand was created in the year 2000, while this encroachment dates back to 1975-76 or so according to the reports. So, Congress and the Samajwadi party are to be blamed for this encroachment. The HC judgement is on a PIL filed in 2016 and BJP cannot claim any credit for this action. Three, BJP is sure about outsiders trying to change the demography of Uttarakhand, it has been in power alternatively since 2000, did it act on this threat? Has it done any survey to find the potential of this threat and acted? It must do so now to nip the mischief in the bud. Haldwani is the prime example of how the situation can go out of hand.

Coming back to opposition charges of the communal angle of this case; Supreme Court in 2021 noted, “Railways are equally responsible for ensuring that there are no encroachments on its properties” while rejecting the appeal to stop the demolition of 5000 hutments in Gujarat. It noted, “All major cites have turned into slums.”

In January 2022, Surat city saw massive demolitions around Udhna and Surat railway stations when 2546 structures were removed. In February 2022, hundreds of hutments were removed around Koparkhairane railways station in Navi Mumbai. Going back a little, in November 2013, major demolitions were undertaken in Malad railway property. In December 2015, 500 hutments were demolished in Delhi from railway land.

No illiberal secular parties stood up for the hapless hutment dwellers. We never heard about them except small newspaper reports. There were no TV debates. You will note that all the demolitions were in the winters, incidentally. We also did not see any protests when nearly 100 temples, including 200 years or older ones, were demolished in Jaipur for Metro railways, despite huge protests. Of course, very old temples are being randomly demolished in Tamil Nadu for some development works or other. Was the silence because the affected people were not from a ‘particular community’?

It may be so. Let me refresh the memories of my readers. In December 2001, highly respected Congress MP, Shri Sunil Dutt took out a morcha to the collector’s office to stop the demolition of illegal encroachments near Bandra East station that were required to build a new Bandra Terminus for outstation trains. He also fought against the removal of hutments on the periphery of Mumbai airport they were marked as a security risk. No prize for guessing who were the affected people. They were not touched and Bandra Terminus has become the worst-designed terminal with atrocious unbearable approach road and poor incomplete construction. Mumbai airport remains at great risk. Zoom into present, opposition again raised a hue and cry against clearing of temple satra lands of illegal encroachers in Assam by the BJP government of Himanta Biswa Sarma.

We are told that terror has no religion but, obviously, encroachments have a religion. Outrage also depends on the party in power.

In Haldwani, yet again, at stake is legal process and sanctity of the judicial process. Opposition cannot be duplicitous - respecting a judgement that suits its agenda and refusing to respect another judgement that goes against its interests or against its vote banks. Noise against the High Court for ordering Haldwani encroachments is a challenge to sanctity of court judgments. Opposition was not happy with Ram Mandir judgement, with some usual suspects using contemptuous language, “We don’t want khairaat from the courts”, regarding provision of land for building a mosque at alternative site. The same attitude was manifested when appeal against Triple Talaq was rejected. Were it a weak government, like at the time of Shah Bano case, Triple Talaq law would have been in the dustbin. At stake is also the very idea of democracy that we have practised for 75 years. Duly elected government is being forced to go back on the laws, and street power forces decisions.

Idea is to create a sense of uncertainty. So, every action of the government is challenged in the courts and courts happily oblige as it increases their scope for interfering in the executive actions, which is patently unfair in a democracy if it has to work properly. But today courts are also in the cross-hair of the anarchic opposition.
If we go by the Shaheen Bagh experience, chances are that the Uttarakhand government might end up delaying the demolition drive, offer alternative accommodation, thus legitimising encroachments and opening new avenues for squatting and communal politics. Readers will recall that opposition had boasted that they will create 100s of Shaheen Baghs against CAA. Many more fronts were opened in places like Mumbai and Hyderabad. But for Covid, this replication would have been wider. Now, this is another opportunity for the opposition and they will not mind a bit of chaos if it suits their cynical politics.

I had noted long back that non-action against Shaheen Bagh would cost this government and nation heavy. The anarchists have understood that this government is loath to using force against rioters and illegal squatters. If it had used a little force during Shaheen Bagh, Delhi riots wouldn’t have happened. Nor would farmers’ agitation have taken such an ugly turn.

Opposition has time and again, shown willingness to bring people on streets. Siege mentality has been assiduously built in the minority community, despite this government having done more for the minorities than any previous government. It is a mind game that opposition is playing with full support of incestuous network of illiberal secular groups around the world.

I am sure, the government is also aware of the larger plans of the opposition and I hope it does take firm action to stop this 2024 toolkit from running riot till the next general election. 2023 is decisive year with a number of state elections. Opposition, except Congress, has nothing to lose. Congress is stuck with JNU gang misguiding Rahul Gandhi and that wouldn’t allow Congress to move away from this self-destructive politics. I hope Congress realises that 2023 is its make-or-break year if it wishes to challenge BJP in 2024 as the main opposition. Haldwani is a test of the BJP’s governance.