By Kamran Khan
BJP defends Yogi in Maharashtra
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s controversial slogan, “Batenge toh katenge” (“Divided, we’ll be slaughtered”), has sparked sharp criticism in Maharashtra, not only from alliance partner Ajit Pawar, but also from some within the BJP, including its local supporters. Despite this, the BJP leadership, focused on pushing their time-tested, hard-line Hindutva agenda in Maharashtra (as in Jharkhand), has defended the polarizing slogan, even as it faces disapproval from prominent party figures in the state like Pankaja Munde, daughter of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, and Ashok Chavan, a former Congress leader who has joined the BJP.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who leads a faction of the Shiv Sena and is a key BJP ally, has distanced himself from Adityanath’s rhetoric. He emphasized that his focus was on development, not divisive politics, and refrained from engaging in religious polarization during his campaign.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticized Ajit Pawar for his opposition to the slogan, accusing him of holding onto an “anti-Hindu ideology” derived from his previous political affiliations. Fadnavis suggested that it would take time for Pawar to understand the public sentiment on Hindutva.
Ajit Pawar, who split from the NCP and joined the BJP-led government last year as deputy chief minister, has rejected the ‘Batenge toh katenge’ slogan, arguing that it may resonate in North India, but is not suitable for Maharashtra. In an interview with the Kolkata-based ‘The Telegraph’, he stated, “This slogan will not work in Maharashtra; it might work in the North, but not in the South.”
Within the BJP, however, some senior leaders have expressed discomfort with the slogan. Pankaja Munde, an influential OBC leader, stated that her political approach is focused on development, not on divisive rhetoric. “A leader’s job is to unite people, not bring up such issues,” she remarked. Similarly, Ashok Chavan, a former Congress chief minister, called the slogan “irrelevant” and argued that it would not click with the people of Maharashtra.
Despite this internal disquiet, the BJP’s top brass has continued to push a hard-line Hindutva campaign in the state which is going to the polls, which some see as an indication of political desperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently framed the state election as a contest between “patriots” and the “followers of Aurangzeb”, a reference to the Mughal ruler often used by the BJP to portray its ideological opponents as anti-national. Modi had referred to Rahul Gandhi as ‘shehzade’ many times during the 2024 polls, thereby directly connecting him with a mythical Muslim dynasty, in a bid to polarise voters.
The BJP’s aggressive Hindutva stance is seen as part of a broader strategy, developed in collaboration with the RSS, to counter the opposition’s criticism that they pose a serious a threat to the Constitution and so as to diffuse the demand of a caste-based census. BJP strategists believe that emphasizing on Hindutva could blunt the opposition’s attacks and improve its chances in the assembly elections, where, according to reports, the Congress’s selection of candidates has not been up to the mark. This, despite the fact, that though without a strong state leadership, the Congress did exceedingly well in the Lok Sabha election of 2024.
Fadnavis has previously raised concerns about ‘vote jihad’ affecting the BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections, and Adityanath’s slogan follows this line of attack. Modi himself has offered a softer version of the slogan, saying, “Ek hain toh safe hain” (“United, we’ll be safe”), which his allies find more palatable than Adityanath’s strident slogan.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who seems to have been effectively sidelined despite his seniority and reported proximity to the RSS leadership, has, predictably, taken an ambivalent position. He has endorsed the slogan, urging the public not to misinterpret it and to stand united against terrorism, while stressing that all Indians, regardless of religion, are united in their patriotism.
10 children Dead, 16 injured: Fire at Jhansi Medical College
At least 10 children have died in a fire that broke out in the children’s ward of a medical college in Jhansi district, UP, while 16 others remain critically injured. The incident occurred late on Friday night (November 15), around 10:45 pm, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, and is believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar told reporters that the children in the outer section of the NICU were rescued, along with some from the inner section. “Preliminary information indicates that 10 children have died,” he said.
Divisional Commissioner Bimal Kumar Dubey added that there were about 30 children in the inner part of the NICU — most of whom were safely evacuated. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sudha Singh reported that 16 injured children are receiving treatment. At the time of the fire, over 50 children were being cared for in the NICU.
Manipur: Endless tragedy
Once again tragedy has stuck Manipur. A wave of sadness and protests rocked Imphal following the news that three more dead bodies have been found. Six Meitei inmates of a relief camp, ironically located near a CRPF camp for protection, were reportedly kidnapped amid a gun fight with the para military forces recently. Ten militants of the Kuki-Zo community died in the incident.
The three others of the relief camp two are believed to be dead. The dead included three women and three girls, including an 8-month old child, whose body was found in Barak river near Jiribam.
Road were blocked. MLAs had their homes raided, including ministers. There were protests across Imphal. This follows a series of killings across both communities — the Meiteis and the Kukis. Over 230 people have been killed, and more than 60,000 people have been displaced in this ong-going conflict.
Meanwhile, the Union home ministry has imposed the stringent AFSPA in six police station areas of Manipur. Of the six, five are in the Meitei dominant areas in the Imphal valley, and one in the hill area where the Kukis live.
AFSPA is a controversial law whereby it gives the armed forces powers to arrest, search and shoot. Ironically, the BJP-led Manipur government, which seems to have failed in all fronts, have appealed to the home ministry to withdraw the order. Political observers believe that this is because the state government has behaved in a partisan manner in this conflict, and is seen to be siding with the Meiteis.