An Open Letter To BJP From A Thankful But Angry Supporter

Dear team BJP,

Vanakkam.

In all probabilities you may not know me. I am one of those million Indians who vote for you since I gained the eligibility to vote. Today I am compelled to write this letter to you.

The reason may look strange.

But that speech was not the reason I am writing this letter.

By a strange coincidence, I was going through the old magazines collections of mine. The magazines were dog-eared and worn. But the cover stories struck me and I had to write this to you. Those magazine covers were a regular feature during the UPA rule between 2004 and 2014.

They were covers of bomb blasts. They were from everywhere in India. Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Many Indians died - blasted out of existence.

Today such terrorism is mostly crushed and contained only to Kashmir. There too the terrorists engage with armed forces who make sure that the terrorists meet their maker.

This has created such a comfort zone for us that we have forgotten what it was to live as an ordinary Indian in the UPA regime.

It was in these years that we were told by a senior Congressman that the former UPA chairperson would cry for the terrorists killed in the Batla House Encounter.

Going through the magazines brought me deep pain and the pain turned into a mixed feeling of gratitude and anger towards you, BJP.

And hence this letter.

With you in power, the terror has been largely contained. You must have created a mechanism; the terror did not stop on its own. I am sure there are people working day and night, whose family lives have been disrupted, sleep lost, and health affected due to the immense work pressure. It is because of these faceless men and women and their toil that we live in a society free from the fear of bombs in our metros and towns.

You do not have the luxury of defeat. You do not have the luxury of compromise on values of propriety in public life. You do not have the luxury of inefficient governance and you do not have the luxury of living in the cocoon of comfort zone.

The voter does not see the complete picture. He or she does not have to. But you as a political party standing for the civilizational heart of India, should see it. Your failure in any one of the above will undo the protective shield that has been provided to us in our daily life, which over the past ten years we have taken for granted.

The Leader of the Opposition, after repeating for months that 'India is not a nation', is now dragging in the name of the National Security Advisor in political debates.

If we look at the way you behave, dear BJP, you seem to have forgotten the whole picture: you are not merely a political party aiming for power. You are the last line of defence against an assault on the civilisation.

So please get your acts together. Provide India a strong and responsive leadership. The war in on. This is not just a political battle. This is a battle against the monopolistic expansionism that threatens the theo-diversity of this nation.

You cannot afford to lose even a municipal election. Win not by any means but win righteously.

Yours sincerely,

A thankful and angry BJP voter.