Political destabilisation is not good for the country

Raziuddin Aquil 

Considering the completely irrational mess created all around, be it CAA-NRC-NPR harakri or goons unleashed on university campuses, it is increasingly emerging that the current political leadership of the country does not even know how to do politics, forget about good governance.

In terms of rule of law and governance, given the huge successive mandates that the ruling party has got to run the country, ten years could have been transformative if the leadership had worked silently towards offering a better government than what we had. At the same time, it could have intelligently tweaked its majoritarian ideology to a more legitimate conservative Hinduism, instead of a fascistic Hindutva bulldozed by an organisation which aims to thrive on violence and bloodshed.

Politically, the party has made inroads everywhere, using local allies to capture power, but then the allies are dumped or humiliated at the first opportunity when the sense of power and arrogance gets the better of them. This might appear smart or clever, but betray lack of trust or credibility. The crisis of confidence and political destabilisation is not good for the country.

This is what has happened in states after states and they thought they can continue to rise by bullying marginalised Adivasis, suppressed Dalits and hapless Muslims, especially the latter, into meek submission forever. They constitute a large and despicable lot at the margins of society. Terrorised Muslims are now fighting back on the streets, emaciated Adivasis have shown them the doors in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, and distressed Dalits are also turning restless. Besides, best of the young minds, students are outraged in university campuses across the country. Mercifully, all these are for the good of the country in the long run.

At present, however, what we are witnessing is an ancient-style violent political conquest by a people who have the power and resources to kill and maim anyone who stands in their way. But then, even though these people have the power to conquer and subjugate, they have no clue on how to govern a vast country with such a large and diverse population. Riding an anti-Muslim tiger they can go far, causing serious damage, mauling a hapless people running for their lives or fighting to survive, but the savage campaign will eventually collapse. The legacy of this madness will continue to hurt with the poisoned mind of sections of a large majority population continuing to eat into the country's basic social and political structures which has sustained it historically.

These highly anti-intellectual people have no idea of history and theory to learn what is good for them even for establishing an empire without any opposition to their rule. World conquerors in the past came down from their horses to establish a just rule and govern with equanimity. They ensured political stability, social harmony and economic prosperity, leaving a chequered cultural legacy and fabulous architectural heritage. These are cherished in posterity as golden eras of the past. This is a lesson we can derive from Indian history also.

For our time and context, respect for diversity is the key. Let many blocs coexist peacefully in a harmonious environment ensured by a government, which is bound to the Constitution of the country, which is not prejudiced in favour of or against anyone. People in power have to privilege inclusive governing principles over religious sentiments of any group or community - maintaining respectful equidistance from all. Certainly, law cannot be made and implemented to please or punish a particular community. 

The current situation defeats the dictum: the brutal state has the capacity to kill, but it should not let you die. It is precisely because the usurpers of state power have no idea of what the governing principles of a state are, modern or ancient, that they are behaving in this savage manner. And, here lies the hope: savagery cannot be the order of the day in a civilisation and culture with over three millennia of history behind it.

Meanwhile, hearts of many uncounted Indian nationalists and patriots at the margins of power will continue to bleed. This is an unfortunate situation from which we must come out. Sooner the better.