Event 1a: Pragya Thakur calls Godse a patriot
Event 1b: PM says he can never forgive PT for the remark
Event 2a: PT included in defence panel
Event 2b: PT calls Godse a patriot again, this time inside Parliament
Event 2c: PT out of defence panel
Are you watching closely?
Event 1b: PM says he can never forgive PT for the remark
Event 2a: PT included in defence panel
Event 2b: PT calls Godse a patriot again, this time inside Parliament
Event 2c: PT out of defence panel
Are you watching closely?
None of these events can be considered organic or reactive. Rather, they are likely to be part of the clever PR strategy of the ruling establishment which has been in play since more than half a decade now.
Let me explain.
Let me explain.
History hasn't been distorted much as yet, so we remember who Godse was and who was behind Gandhi's murder. We know Godse wasn't a "lone wolf". He represented an institution which has always maintained this politics and PT is a part of it. So are a lot of people in the country.
This institution forms the core constituency of BJP voters, let's call them A. However, there are considerable others in their vote base, many of them former INC voters, who are anti-Godse and pro-Gandhi, let's call them B.
What's happening is a balancing act between A & B.
What's happening is a balancing act between A & B.
The idea is to normalise the narrative of Godse being a patriot and Gandhi being a negative impact on the nation. Many believe this, a lot of people have already bought into this, but the "mainstream society" still sees them as "fringe".
Maybe, not anymore?
Maybe, not anymore?
PT praises Godse during the election campaign (1a) so A feel represented in the ruling establishment. PM immediately reprimands her (1b) to ensure the balance is in place. He's speaking to B, assuring them it's just Pragya and not him, assuaging their outrage.
A is okay with the PM saying this because they understand political strategy, being the Chanakya fans that they are. They understand that PM has to say it to keep the power intact. They are not happy about it but they wouldn't stop endorsing the party for it.
Of course, nothing happens to Pragya even though the PM said he'll never forgive her. On the contrary, she is then included in a defence panel (2a) and then she calls Godse a patriot again and this time inside the Parliament (2b). This is again speaking to the constituency A.
Now, the official condemnation and the dropping from defence panel (2c) are again targeted at the constituency B. They need to put their legs in both boats to consistently move this discourse forward without losing out on votes.
Slowly but steadily, they are furthering the narrative. 5 years ago, the average apolitical Indian wouldn't have considered the idea of Godse being a patriot. Now he has started to think that "maybe things are grey" and that "maybe Gandhi wasn't good for us after all".
This normalisation is happening in front of us but one wouldn't realise it unless you look at things from a wider perspective and not as individual events. If you simply treat these as unconnected and random, you'll have a few spicy headlines but not a proper political analysis.
Thread on the same topic when (1a) and (1b) happened in May this year.
This is what I'm talking about. Thanks DP sir for his pearls of wisdom. 
