Seven reasons why Sadhvi Jyoti won't resign

Modi the moderate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may not be the divisive figure he was in 2002, but he still needs to work hard to showcase himself as a moderate figure focused purely on development. This is where rabble-rousers like Niranjan Jyoti, Giriraj Singh and Yogi Adityanath come in. They can unleash enough bile to make Modi look like a moderate, statesman-like figure. Modi would know, after all he performed the same task when LK Advani was the BJP's face at the Centre.

Mission Uttar Pradesh

The Sadhvi is seen to be close to Amit Shah and she is an integral part of his strategy for the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections. Furthermore, she comes from the OBC Nishad-Mallah community, which numerically significant in parts of UP, particularly Bundelkhand. Many also consider her a foil to the unpredictable Uma Bharti, who was the BJP's face during the 2012 elections.

Keeping the core voter happy

The prime minister is busy attending to international matters and BJP president Amit Shah is working overtime to expand the party's base in virgin areas like West Bengal, Kashmir and the Northeast. In their absence, someone needs to keep the BJP's core constituency happy. A sharp jibe at Muslims by an Adityanath, a dose of vitriol from Giriraj or the odd invective from Niranjan Jyoti, is enough to keep the core Hindutva lot happy and the saffron cadres in fighting mode.

A smart diversion

Amidst the furore over the Sadhvi's remarks, few people noticed that the BJP supposedly managed to secure the Congress's support for the Insurance Bill. So the two parties might fight over matters like Jyoti, they are united when it comes to economic reform.

In BJP, it pays to be bad

Well behaved BJPwalas seldom make history. If that had been the case, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate would have been Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh or Arun Jaitley.  Let's face it, Modi would have been just another chief minister had it not been for the 2002 riots. It is the riots that made him a national figure and a Hindu Hriday Samrat among BJP supporters. Rabble-rousing is a sure shot way to rise in the BJP. Varun Gandhi became an icon in the BJP only after his alleged hate speech during the 2009 elections. Giriraj Singh asked Modi's opponents to go to Pakistan, he is now a minister. Sanjeev Baliyan is accused of instigating riots in Muzaffarnagar, he too is now a minister. Criminal charges couldn't prevent Amit Shah from becoming BJP president or the rape-accused Nihal Chand from becoming a minister. So why should Niranjan Jyoti be afraid?

Apology? What apology?

Apologising is a sign of weakness. Take for instance LK Advani, whose remark that "Babri Masjid's demolition was the saddest day of his life" won him no friends in the secular camp. Instead it only ended up disappointing the BJP's core constituency. Modi was able to maintain his 56-inch chest by refusing to apologise for the riots that took place during his chief ministership.

She will resign only if Modi wants her to

The prime minister is known to run a very tight ship in the government. He keeps a very close watch on his ministers and there is no way a cabinet minister, let alone a newly appointed minister of state like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, can indulge in any act of indiscipline. So if the BJP's claim that Modi disapproved of Jyoti's remarks is true, she would have been on the way out by now. Where do you think she gets the courage to keep brazening it out?