Firstly, turnout is hugely important when declaring a vote result as representative of opinion - 67%, which is good but that leaves 33% whose votes you don't know about.
Who told you that? It has been analysed into the dust. 15% core constituency, 15% the exasperated, anti-incumbency elements disgusted with the corruption of the allies in the last UPA and 3% opportunists.
As I keep pointing out in my Cassandra avatar, none as blind as those who refuse to see.
Secondly, India uses a first past the post electoral system, which is how Modi came to power. That percentage translates into an overwhelming absolute majority of seats, partly due to misrepresentation of constituencies (but, all democracies are broken in this way so I won't dwell on that specific issue).
True. Proportional representation tackles some of these issues, but raises others of its own.
Your point being?
What is undeniably true in India's case is that in every region or state or territory represented by BJP in parliament, there are more than enough bhakts to drown out the sane voices or make them cower in fear. Muslims are cleverly diluted beyond the point of any meaningful ability to represent their interests. By further cornering security apparatus, media and industry, BJP and their quiet sympathisers have absolute control over your life and the narrative you are forced to read.
True, O Sage. I still don't see where this is headed. The deep blue sea, perhaps.
Even if your group of merry liberals wish to influence this reality, you can't.
Break out the green tights, boys, get the wimples out, girls. How's the mead, cookie; you planning to take longer on the venison?
You are well aware that 39% does NOT represent the mass effect of bhakt opinion in India and is an underestimation in all probability. This is why one cannot use vote results (even after assuming they're free and fair) as a representation of opinion on specific social/political issues. This much should be obvious. Vote results are meant to elect a parliament, nothing else can be extrapolated from them without corroborating evidence. So if you wish for folks to believe your "silent cuddly majority" exists, prove it.
Let me understand this.
If I produce numbers, that is meaningless, because it is not the numbers that matter, it is the deep, underlying verities of human existence. There is much more to that human existence than numbers (except when we have numbers to put up, when of course, a rational discourse demands, even insists, on numbers).
All the whispers in the room must be accounted for.
Indeed.
Spare us the cuddles. Stick to the res gestae. All Indian members on this forum ask is that when we converse on subjects of mutual interest, we should not be greeted by the storm of bad behaviour about which members of this forum anathematise the behaviour in other fora. All I deplore, personally, without for one moment seeking to involve my compatriots in that deadly dangerous behaviour, is that you should stop this self-indulgent conspiracy theory caucus, and return to the world of reality.
I know, it's challenging.
