On December 3rd, Arfa Khanum Sherwani from The Wire expressed her views on compromising ideology for electoral success during a discussion on the results of the Assembly Elections in five states. She suggested that it might be acceptable for a political party to compromise on its ‘ideological principles’ to win elections.
Arfa, in a conversation on Newslaundry, acknowledged the presence of soft Hindutva politics and questioned whether it would be alright for opposition parties to align with Hindutva to secure electoral victories. She stated, “This politics of soft Hindutva is evident, and it’s clear that none of us here can agree with it. However, there is also a thought that the influence of Hindutva on Indian politics is so strong that you cannot pursue an idealistic and principled politics without appeasing it a bit.”
She further added, “Once you win the elections, you can engage in secular politics. Is there any strength in this compromise?”
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Journalist Atul Chaurasia responded to her theory, calling it a slippery slope. He highlighted that if political parties adopt an ideology and play the Hindutva card, the consequences of stakeholder pressure post-election would be unclear.
When Arfa suggested that opposition parties can switch to secular politics after winning elections, Chaurasia countered, stating that siding with Hindutva would be perceived as a strategic move solely for electoral victories. Arfa retorted, “But even for any ideology, it is necessary to be in power. If you stay in the opposition, what will you do?”
For individuals like Arfa Khanum Sherwani, winning elections and maintaining power takes precedence over political ideology. This approach not only contradicts political ethics but also projects a contradictory image of the candidate to the voters.
By aligning with Hindutva merely to secure electoral wins, as seen in the election campaigns of parties like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, these leaders are seen toying with the sentiments of Hindus.
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Arfa Khanum also advised Muslims to adopt an inclusive approach. This isn’t the first time she has suggested a shift in ideology for support. In January 2020, during the anti-CAA protests, she advised protesting Muslims to appear inclusive ‘as part of strategy’. She emphasized making the protests as inclusive as possible to broaden their base.
Arfa urged protesters to downplay exclusive religious slogans during protests to avoid alienating potential allies from other religions while strategically playing down Muslim identity without compromising ideology.
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