An era of holier-than-thou politics sans responsibility

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.