With the BJP-led NDA government’s August 5 abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as a step towards unification of entire India under one Constitution – dubbed as ‘One Nation One Constitution’, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeating his renewed avowal of adherence to the Constitution and inclusive politics on the occasion of the Independence Day celebration, there is hope for rekindling values in the country. Modi seems to be truly serious about his goal of winning ‘sab ka vishwas’.
Interestingly, individuals who have spoken against the Constitution, in a bid to promote Hindutva majoritarianism and divisive politics during Modi’s first term and during the recent general elections campaign, have not found a place in the Union Council of Ministers. This is an indication that the fringe elements will remain consigned to the fringe, at least for the present. But the battle for democracy and Indian Nationhood values besides rationality, secularism and universal human and minority rights have to again begin, reinvigorated and continuously fought; so that our Indianness of diverse cultures and religions, is constantly upheld.
One may recall Modi’s earlier speech in the Central Hall of the Parliament on May 25, the first after being elected leader of the present BJP-led NDA, when he struck a heartening note of magnanimity. Among other things, he asserted that the new government would make efforts to earn the trust of minorities, and of those who disagree (with the BJP-NDA). He cautioned the newly elected MPs that there would be no impunity for those who make the wrong noise (involve in minority denigration). “The way the poor have been cheated, the minorities have been deceived the same way…”. He spoke of owning even those who express strong opposition to the BJP; “jo hamara ghor virudh karte hai, who bhi hamara hain”. These are statements of inclusive intent. But it will take more for them to reassure.
Modi’s words should be heeded by his own partymen, who need to acknowledge both, what the PM said and didn’t say: Minority fears and insecurities are real, they are no illusion or myth. They are a grave, throbbing left-over from the deceptions and abdications of earlier governments that call themselves secular. But in the last few years they have been made up of and stoked by, a majoritarianism unleashed and emboldened by the BJP-NDA victory of 2014. Hopefully, it may well be that the overwhelming mandate of 2019 makes room for generosity and inclusiveness of the kind that could be heard in the PM’s speeches to his MPs post-May 23. But it will need constant mindfulness from the top BJP leadership.
It is important to realise that in the modern world and in India, liberal participatory democracy cannot be divorced from socialism and secularism. And that means a thrust for distributive justice and equality progressively, and allowing freedom and dignity to citizens of various denominations and scrupulously avoiding excluding and treating them as enemies merely on the ground of their religious adherence.
Modern day human activity or pre-occupation has less and less to do with ritual denominational religion, whether Christian, Hindu, Muslim or otherwise. In other words, society is inevitably becoming secular. Hence, an abiding divorce of religion from the economy, education, technology and politics is found to be a fact and a necessity. But whenever a mention of socialism and secularism is made, adversarial and invective politics manifests in India. The entire divisive majoritarian phraseology gets unleashed – minority appeasement, vote bank politics, churlishness about the Constitution and universal human and minority rights etc. This is despite the manifest material denial of space for minorities, as evidenced from various Minority Rights Commission reports. Democracy and the idea of India familiar from the freedom movement and making of the constitution are being undermined by our political leaders.
The sustenance of democracy depends on various highly evolved and evolving checks and balances, including a free press, really free from paid news and other temptations. Autonomous institutions like the RBI, the CBI, the Press Council, The Women’s and Minorities’ Commissions, NGOs like human rights bodies, etc., have to function with vigour and alertness, not cower to the powers that be, much less be manipulated, enticed or bought.
Add to this, the freedom of the judiciary – in a system in which the judges at various levels are subject to transfers and thus manipulation. Elections are eagerly won, in no-holds-barred contests, to confer impunity on a select few individuals and bodies who have manifestly indulged in misdemeanours, big and small. This impunity is accomplished by transferring / reconstituting the prosecution machinery or officials. Thus, there is jeopardy of the rule of law; due process if vitiated.
The BJP leadership, therefore, needs to own the responsibility to curb the party’s worst instincts vis-a-vis minorities and those who disagree with it. Henceforth a BJP MP or MLA resorts to hate speech or justifies mob violence, henceforth any partyman uses the party’s mandate as a weapon to disrespect political opponent or subdues autonomous institutions, they will need to be told that there are penalties to pay. Going ahead, at the very least, there must be no impunity for flouting PM’s words from his various speeches after he won the famous present mandate. There must be no occasion for accusation that the Union Government has a brute majority and it is using these numbers to further its majoritarianism and authoritarianism agenda.
(The writer is a freelance journalist)
