By: Ravi Sinha
Feb 2, 2014
Political advocacy
always carries a moral high ground irrespective of whether it stands with a
legitimate cause or it has hidden motives. Developing nations often fell prey
to holier-than-thou breed of activists since the search for a political messiah
is intrinsic due to the wide gap between wants and needs. The mismatch between
expectations and delivery is partly a result of corruption & feudal
functioning and partly due to the widening gap between the expectations and
load on the resources.
India, of late, has been
a victim of this political advocacy turned into political hooliganism that
eventually threw open in the field many political aspirants whose only claim to
fame has been their opposition and resistance to whatever the political
establishment had to offer. The merit of India’s political class, or the lack
of it, can be a different subject matter of discussion. However, what is
significant for the country as of now is the fact that the so-called political
alternatives are only giving a confused signal to the established political
set-up and the masses, much to the amusement of the media which has suddenly found
a new fodder for its TRP in a dog eats dog market.
As a result of this
media-backed trial by a group of accusing and abusing political aspirants,
India today stands at the corridor of political uncertainty and Delhi Assembly
election results are a case study. It is much easier to defame a democratically
elected government nowadays where a TRP hungry media and social media outlets
are always there to vent out the outbursts. The logic often has no place in
this world where contract killers of reputation are on the prowl. However,
providing a better and viable political alternative is a different ball game
altogether.
Those who demanded a
high pedestal of morality from the established political institutions are today
finding it difficult to provide something better and hence India seems to have
entered an era of holier-than-thou politics that sans responsibility. After
promising an honest & efficient government, the new breed of politicians
seems to have got scared of responsibility, forget accountability. It is true
that the mandate is not with the new player in the ring, yet by virtue of
emerging second largest party with almost same vote share with the largest
party despite of being a debutant demands that they must prove their worth to
the emotionally charged up voters, having given a chance.
It is said that every
revolution has seeds of self destruction in its very DNA. Will the newly
emerged political outfit that has systematically master minded the social and
political unrest to reap political dividends end its own natural death? It is
highly likely since the body language and the posturing of new-found political
space seem to have gone to the level of arrogance. It is true that the Congress
has been routed not only in Delhi but in all the four states, indicating an
outburst against the party. But they have been graceful enough to admit it,
congratulate the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) despite of slug fest during the polls
and offered the unconditional support.
It is a rare phenomenon
in Indian politics, but the response of the AAP has been that they don’t need
approval of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for doing well. It is a new
feudal way of politicking where grace is retaliated with arrogance.
Furthermore, AAP seems to be in a moral & ideological dilemma over
government formation. Their stated stand of neither soliciting nor extending
support to either the BJP or the Congress already stands null & void when
the wrote back letter to both the parties with their counter condition of support.
The political novices
failed to understand that out of the 18 demands put forward by them as a
condition of support, most of it does not even need Assembly nod and cabinet
can take it own decision. Congress played the smart card by accepting the rest of
the demands. Taken aback by this sudden Congress’ gesture/strategy they went
into a huddle and afterwards came up with the fancy idea of referendum over
SMS. Political immaturity apart, the political novices got exposed in the eyes
of their own voters and many of them are today asking whether the AAP is in a
position to implement the lofty promises that they made.
It is not about the
government formation alone that is a cause of worry. The larger cause of worry
is the direction in which the Indian democracy seems to be heading to.
Holier-than-thou sans accountability may lead to populism all the time and
referendum may be used as an alibi to any policy justification tomorrow. Do we
want a civilised democracy to turn into mobocracy? These are the questions to
be addressed and government formation by one or the other party is not
something that can change the way Indian politics operates. The quest for a
political messiah has hurt the country time and again. Yet, it seems the Indian
voters have not learnt their lessons.
