In Hyderabad, a municipal election has suddenly become about polarising identities. The Bharatiya Janata Party flew in its top campaigners to namecheck all the preoccupations of the Hindu Right: Pakistan, Kashmir, surgical strikes, the Mughals, biryani, Ayodhya, Rohingya refugees.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah vowed to erase the city’s “Nizami culture” and turn it into a “Mini Bharat”. Shah kicked off his campaign with a visit to the disputed temple nestled against the walls of the Charminar, the monument that has come to symbolise the city. The BJP’s star campaigner, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, was flown down for his signature flourish: name change. “Hyderabad”, with its Islamic origins, would be replaced with “Bhagyanagar”, he promised.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a discreet visit, apparently to check on a vaccine development facility. No connection, presumably, to the fact that the BJP promised free vaccines and tests if…