Addition is a basic mathematical operation. It is regarded as simple and there is nothing much to say about it. As an idea, it might have been with humanity for very long time. Both addition and subtraction may have contributed a lot towards the process of our civilization. Because of its simplicity, it was thought to be philosophically insignificant. Yet we can notice that addition can be subversive and not just one that simply leads to progressive enhancement of value. We can see this especially when we regard one as the highest value. This high valuation of one depends on the non-existence of the second. This means one acquires the highest value because one is without a second.
One is alone and there is no other than the one. It is under this situation, if we add another one, this added one becomes a rival and the hierarchical position of the earlier one that was without second is contested. The one with the addition of another one cannot be one. There is already a second to that one and therefore, authoritative location of the solo one is displaced. This means addition is not simple progressive combination . The combinatory power of addition can be deconstructive.
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We can see how an addition that produced the INDIA alliance poses danger to BJP and its alliance. We can see that the desire to be one without second is very much part of Modi government. It was visible in the drive towards Congress-mukt Bharat. It was manifested in the relegation of the old guard of the BJP leaders in the marg darshak mandal. One can also see it in the marginalization of leaders like Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, Nitin Gadkari who can prove to be rivals of PM Modi when it comes to the highest chair. We can also see the use of the ED and CBI to disintegrate opposition parties like the Shiv Sena and the NCP in Maharashtra. There is a further weakening of the Congress Party with the freezing of its accounts as well as the arrest of Chief Ministers, Hemant Soren and Arjun Kejrival of Jharkhand and Delhi respectively. It has been said that the sword of ED is hanging over the Mamta Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, and M K Stanlin.
There is also other side of addition. The judgment on electoral bonds have come back to haunt the ruling BJP. It has opened us to the possible quid pro quo between the buyers of the electoral bonds and the receiving BJP. The possible existence of quid pro quo points to the use of the power of addition by the ruling BJP. It is alleged that the ruling BJP used state power and constitutional bodies like ED, IT and the CBI to fetch funds to itself while offering an amnesty of sorts for offences, or business contracts to the donors who were raided for various offences or who happened to be involved in infrastructure business and the like. It also has come to our notice how politicians who were accused of corruption become clean when they come and add (join) themselves to the BJP. BJP, thus, seem to have politically milked the subversive power of addition.
Addition as subversion is used to create one without the second. Those that oppose one nation one election also suggest that it is a strategy to finish opposition parties, leading particularly to the subversion of the regional parties. But the subversive power of addition is not a one way road. It also can bring about diminishing results to the ruling BJP. The information about the truth of the electoral Bonds may lead to the power of revenge. We might see that the people may vote against the ruling party and thus vote can become revenge as it gets added to the kitty of the opposition. Besides, the advent of some of the tall BJP leaders into the Congress party does add power to Congress. The presence of the Shiv Sena in the INDIA alliance adds another dimension to it. This addition can add the non-secular votes to INDIA alliance. Perhaps, this is why BJP had to add MNS chief Raj Thackeray to its alliance. But this addition may prove subversive to it in UP, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Subversion is political. Addition when used to subvert becomes political. What we have said above shows that addition is political and is indeed subversive. What we have today is Congressized BJP in Goa. It is constructed by a simple operation of addition. But to effect this simple operation of addition, the ruling benches had to do what has been called operation lotus which includes money bags, promises of ministries or shielding from constitutional agencies like CBI, IT, and ED. The politics of addition is indeed at work in our society.
People of Maharashtra specially those agitating for reservation for the Marathas have decided to field 1000 candidates in some constituencies in Maharashtra and render the EVMs useless. The people are ready to fund those candidates and pay Rs 25000 that are required for the filling up their candidature forms for each candidate of the Lok Sabha elections. The addition of 1000 candidates simply make the EVMs irrelevant and unusable. EVMs cannot simply handle these many number of candidates. People do not think that they are wasting money to field these many candidates. They are using subversive dimension of addition to save democracy and bring back the ballot paper as they do not trust the EVMs.
What the Maratha community is doing might inspire others in our country to fight the imposition of election through EVMs. People may get volunteers ready to spend 25000 as well as lose the election to save democracy. The political acumen of the Maratha community in Maharashtra has shown the way. While the anti-EVM agitation is spreading all across the county, if the people’s voice is not heard by the election commission and the Government, people can still find a way to save democracy and get the election commission to conduct the election using ballot papers. Indeed, addition, an operation in mathematics can be a great tool of resistance. It seems that people have decided to become baazigars. A Baazigar wins by losing. People have decided to use addition and subvert the imposition of EVMs and win even when those additional candidates that they have fielded lose. In all this complex drama of addition, it is our democracy that will come out victorious.
(Fr Victor Ferrao is an independent researcher attached to St Francis Xavier Church, Borim, Ponda)
