Naomi Klein coined the term ‘Disaster Capitalism’. After the devastating flood of Kerala the fascist BJP and their parent organisation RSS are coining a new term, ‘Disaster Fascism’.
It’s nothing new to them. This is a tried and tested method for them. Awaaz – South Asia Watch Ltd in a report pointed out in a report, titled ”In Bad Faith? British Charity and Hindu Extremism”, RSS branches in the UK have been raising large funds in the name of Gujarat Earthquake Orissa Supercyclone. This fund was used for organising the 2002 Gujarat pogrom.
The RSS and Sangh Parivar have been using this tried and tested method in the Kerala floods too. The Sangh elements were campaigning in social media not to donate to Chief Minister’s relief fund.
In the initial days of the Kerala floods, when people were risking their lives to save people, RSS elements were nowhere to be seen engaging in relief work. On the otherhand, they were campaigning in North India that RSS were active in rescue works. They even went on to claim that 10 of their cadres died during relief work. This is a total lie.
Once the flood waters receded, RSS and its charity ‘Sewa Bharati’ are seen in organising relief works especially in and around Hindu temples.
The damages caused by the floods are enormous. It would take years to rebuild Kerala. The communist ruled Kerala government asked for Rs 2200 crore for immediate relief work. What the centre allotted was a meagre Rs 600 croroe. Meanwhile many governments around the world came forward to donate money to Kerala. The biggest donation came from United Arab Emirates where millions of Keralites work. In a tweet, PM Modi thanked the ruler of Dubai. However the central government backtracked and refused accept the donation, citing procedural problems and past precedents. In fact, as per National Disaster Management Plan 2016 section 9.2 and 9.3 published by central government – donations given voluntarily by other countries can be accepted . This is disaster fascism at work in Kerala. This is to make of Kerala suffer for the natural devastation and beg for money from the right wing central government.
The Modi-government had even written to all Indian embassies around the world not to accept foreign financial help for Kerala tragedy.
In the meantime, the right wing rumour mills are on an overdrive to prove that the floods happened because Kerala is communist, Kerala eats beef and so many other calumnies. An RSS ideologue and a director of Reserve Bank of India S. Gurumurthy even went so far as to say that the floods happened because Kerala women wanted to visit the celebate God, Lord Ayyappa temple in Shabarimala!
The plan of the right wing and openly fascist central government is to crunch Kerala for funds. When Kerala is crushed the right wing will step in with charity to help people. The idea is to prepare the ground in the ‘fortress’ Kerala to be receptive of the fascist Hindutva ideology. When it is ready they will sow the seeds of hatred. And that is called ‘Disaster Fascism’.
Binu Mathew is the editor of www.countercurrents.org
