Christians in India heaved sighs of relief after the
surprise rout of a Hindu nationalist party in May national and state assembly
elections in Orissa, the scene of anti-Christian violence that killed hundreds
and displaced tens of thousands last year.
A local centrist party, the Biju Janata Dal, took charge of
the Orissa state government, soundly defeating the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by 109 to 7 assembly seats. A coalition led by the centrist Indian National Congress won a second term in the federal government; it
defeated a BJP-led coalition in 2004.
"The election result is a statement against the persecution
of non-Hindus," said Vijay Simha, a senior Indian journalist. "Since the vote
went against right-wing parties, the result is a strong rejection of extremist
religious programs."
John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council, said the BJP was "defeated not by Christians or Muslims, but by
secular Hindus." Over 80 percent of India's more than 1 billion people are
Hindu. Christians make up just over 2 percent.
The BJP's defeat at the national level is expected to compel
the party to decide whether to turn to moderation in its ideology or to more
extremism in desperation.
"The BJP now faces a dilemma. … Its appeal based on
Hindutva [Hindu nationalism] and divisiveness stands rejected by the electorate,"
said Prem Prakash of Asian News International. "The time has come for it to
clearly define what kind of secularism it accepts or preaches."
The hopes of Christians abound. "I am hoping that the BJP
will learn that it does not pay to persecute minorities, and that civilized
Hindus are disgusted with divisive antics," said Dayal.