Mumbai: The NDA government was in deep trouble and it must ponder why apolitical personalities from various fields returned awards and expressed dissent over attempts to divide the society, veteran journalist N Ram said on Saturday.

He also claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies will fare badly in the upcoming Assembly elections in five states since there was no Modi wave.
“There is a clear pattern of the Modi government adhering to an ideology and the prevailing climate of intolerance is not accidental”, the prominent editor said at the opening session of a two-day seminar on Mumbai Collective: Celebrating Freedom and Pluralism here.

“It is insufficient to say there is intolerance. It is not something accidental or isolated. There is a clear adherence to an ideology. But I am not propagating any conspiracy theory here. I won't say this is an issue of fascism and I don't believe India is facing a threat of it. It's enough to say they are semi-fascist. Because the moment you term it as fascist, you overestimate the enemies of diversity and secular characteristics of India”, Ram said.

He said the NDA government was in deep trouble and its (that of BJP and allies) vote share would fall dramatically in ensuing Assembly polls as there is no Modi wave. “Those who are in power should not forget that the 31 per cent popular vote that BJP won in 2014, is the lowest share of popular vote received by any party that won a majority of seats in the history of Lok Sabha polls”, he said.

“However, all current indications are that it is (BJP vote share) is going down - not just in Delhi and Bihar Assembly elections, but also in local body polls in Gujarat. I see the government is in some major trouble. They are worried about what is happening.
Assembly elections are going to take place in five states and vote share is going to further come down dramatically because there is no Modi wave”, Ram said.

He said the Modi government should think why so many noted personalities, who were apolitical, came together returned their awards.
“A very large section of scientists, artists, intellectuals and academicians, all without political affiliation, came together and expressed dissent over attempts to divide society”, he said.

Speaking at the event, actress-director Nandita Das also slammed the BJP-led government and said it should not turn the country into a Hindu Pakistan.

“Whenever I go to Pakistan or Bangladesh, I find that most of South Asia is in trouble and they look towards India with a lot of hope. They are impressed by our multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and secular society”, Das said.

“Just see the case of Pakistan. You will find green colour everywhere. But, we are not here to turn our country into a Hindu-Pakistan”, the actress said.

PTI