As per Cambridge Dictionary, Empathy is ‘the ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation’. It explains Sympathy as ‘understanding and care for someone else’s suffering’.
Of these, one has the potential to prevent and mitigate, and the other results in the showcasing one’s emotional range.
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The Indian Constitution can be a study in empathy, one just has to read the Preamble and Fundamental Rights to appreciate this. The Preamble states ‘to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the [unity and integrity of the Nation].
The Fundamental Rights make empathy actionable both by defining what is expected of Citizens and what Citizens should expect, if not demand, from others, the State and its various organs.
Even today this ideal of Empathy, and the implementation of the Constitution, is a challenge. The reason is simple, Empathy and the Constitution asks us to take another look at traditional biases and baseless ancient hierarchies. It questions concepts like karma, fate, and the socio-religious lens’ that many are born with and grow accustomed to, not to mention the entrenched power structures that continue to be normalised.
Affirmative Action in India is a Constitutional prerogative. Besides empathy that catalysed this decision, Affirmative Action is recognition that India loses socio-economically in the absence of equity and access to opportunity.
Any form of bias that prevents citizens from reaching their potential is a millstone around the country’s neck. The reasons range from the social cost to maintain biases to limiting the flow of ideas because people are prevented from reaching their full potential to the state’s attempts to protect citizens.
There are manifold examples of how India continues to hobble itself because it is not, at the very least, empathetic.
As India transitions from celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Shri Ram Mandir atrocities against Dalits continue. As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) ‘A total of 57,582 cases were registered for committing crime against Scheduled Castes (SCs), showing an increase of 13.1% over 2021(50,900 cases). Crime rate registered showed an increase from 25.3 in 2021 to 28.6 in 2022.’ The justice system continues to fail them as recently noted by Karnataka Chief Minster Mr. Siddaramaiah. Crimes against those of Scheduled Tribes has increased too. Further, the government is also reducing scholarships to these marginalised. So even as government aid decreases, society increases atrocities against them.
While casteism subjugates large swathes of Indians, patriarchy limits Indian women. On the one hand there is Nari Shakti and the various schemes begun by PM Modi on the other is the increasing crimes against women. Per NCRB data, there has been a 4% increase in registered cases of crimes against women. In 2022, 445,256 cases were registered, the numbers were 428,278 in 2021. Uttar Pradesh the land of Ayodhya registered the maximum cases. In fact, the Yogi government has banned women from attending tuitions after 8 pm to prevent crimes against them. This is indeed a strange way to empower women – by limiting their freedom.
Empathy seems to be lacking between those practicing different religions. The NCRB reports a 45% increase in cases of hate speech ‘and acts promoting enmity between groups based on religion’. One must not forget the calls for the economic boycott of Muslims, the targeting of their establishments and the refusal to rent them houses.
The 2019 Global Risks Report brought out by the World Economic Forum and its partners says ‘A world of increasingly divided and angry people would be likely to generate volatile electoral results and to decrease the chance of solving complex multi-stakeholder global risks. If empathy were to continue to decline, the risks might be even starker’. India with its heterogeneity is a microcosm of the world. In a country proud of its diversity, there is very little that doesn’t make Indians angry. Road rage is passe, today pilots are pummelled, young couples are thrashed if they belong to different religions or castes, Dalits are beaten if they showcase their success and Indians dance to the most bigoted of songs. Even the Indian state shows its anger – countries are threatened with various consequences, and Indians are jailed if they criticise their government.
There is a cost that the country bears for its inability to cultivate and foster empathy. The economic cost of riots and communal violence in India was around to be $646 billion as per 2022 news reports.
When Indians are so engaged in, and committed to, fighting each other and bringing each other down how will the country progress? Society and business can only grow when trust, respect, opportunity is easily accessible to everyone. Exclusion is limiting, not only for the excluded but for those enforcing the exclusion.
In an interview to Reuters, post the 2002 Gujarat riots, Narendra Modi was asked whether he regretted the violence. He replied “if someone else is driving a car and we’re sitting behind, even then if a puppy comes under the wheel, will it be painful or not? Of course it is. If I’m a chief minister or not, I’m a human being. If something bad happens anywhere, it is natural to be sad.” What does this suggest?
It is not surprising to hear some declare they have reached the limit of their empathy or that others have taken advantage of empathy or that it is they who should be viewed with empathy. Many rationalise and welcome the current trend. They believe it is reversing the consequences of what they believe has been unending empathy. If in need there has been a surfeit of empathy would there be such violence against Dalits, Women and other minorities?
Until Indians learn to empathise, the country’s wish to become a superpower will remain unfulfilled.
(Samir Nazareth is an author and writes on socio-economic and environmental issues)
