Editorial Snapshot: 24-June-2025

Polls and processes: On Assembly bye-elections, the ECI

The recent bye-elections in five Assembly constituencies — Kadi and Visavadar (Gujarat), Nilambur (Kerala), Ludhiana West (Punjab), and Kaliganj (West Bengal) — reflect key local and regional political dynamics. In Nilambur, Congress-backed Aryadan Shoukath won, while P.V. Anvar, the former MLA, unsuccessfully contested as an independent after a fallout with the ruling coalition. This result may influence next year’s Kerala Assembly elections. In West Bengal, TMC’s Alifa Ahmed won Kaliganj by a large margin, though the poll was marred by a bomb blast that killed a child, underscoring the persistent violence in the state.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) secured victories in Visavadar and Ludhiana West — important gains after its loss of power in Delhi. Gopal Italia won in Visavadar, reaffirming AAP’s relevance in Gujarat, while Sanjeev Arora won Ludhiana West in a state ruled by AAP. The BJP retained Kadi. The Election Commission of India introduced several reforms, including 100% webcasting and enhanced voter turnout reporting. However, concerns over polling irregularities and transparency remain. The ECI is urged to uphold not only fairness but also public confidence in its impartiality.

One idea, many images

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s display of a garlanded Bharat Mata portrait featuring Hindu nationalist iconography has triggered a political controversy, breaking the earlier cordiality with the State government. Two Kerala Ministers boycotted Raj Bhavan events in protest, while the ruling Left Democratic Front condemned the imagery as an attempt to push a Hindu nationalist agenda into a constitutional office. Arlekar defended it as patriotic expression, but the issue escalated into street-level clashes between CPI(M) and BJP workers.The Mother India motif, rooted in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Anandamath and popularized through various cultural expressions, has long been a politically and emotionally charged symbol. While artists like Abanindranath Tagore and Amrita Shergill offered diverse interpretations, from divine symbolism to human suffering, the image has been repeatedly politicized—ranging from nationalist to patriarchal and religious uses. Films and calendar art have reinforced or critiqued the image, including Satyajit Ray’s Devi which critiqued the deification of women.The controversy highlights the complex and contested nature of the Bharat Mata image. Given its diverse historical interpretations and communal sensitivities, the use of a Hindu majoritarian version by a Governor is seen as politically inappropriate. The passage concludes that constitutional authorities should avoid using such layered symbols for political expediency.

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