An Open Letter To Indian Democracy
By Amit Chamaria
05 April, 2014
Countercurrents.org
Dear Democracy,
I know your ‘grand festival’ is around the corner and I wish you the best for it. Simultaneously, I offer my sincere apology for asking your attention at such a crunch time. But some unusual situations have emerged and I could not stop myself to make you known about it. It is my request that you must think over it after reading the letter. Some solution might come out of it. In addition to that, my conscience would also be satisfied.
Presently, question marks are being raised over the credibility of all of your four pillars -- legislative, executive, judiciary and media. As a result, your credibility is also under suspicion.
I pored over your history. Your journey has been full of pain. Your birth is credited to the sacrifice of many and your birth too has given new breath to so many people. In last sixty years, you have celebrated the ‘grand festival’ several times. Sometimes the celebrations may have been a formality. Usually, the ‘grand festival’ comes in every five years but sometimes circumstances would have forced you to observe this ‘grand festival’ earlier than that. I don’t know whether you enjoyed it or not. Anyway, the past can be discussed later.
On this occasion, you have always tried to abolish the antagonistic powers so that your system could function smoothly. There is really no substitute of you.
This time your ‘active volunteers’ have pledged to liberate you from corruption, casteism, communalism, Naxalism and many other evils. In fact, the practice of vowing has now taken a form of tradition. But positive results seldom come.
In this scenario, the discussion over secularism versus communalism is essential. The layer separating secularism and communalism has become so thin in this modern era that the active volunteers are comfortably moving from one side to another and in turn, changing their identity after changing sides. Such a case was seen in Bihar recently. It, however, remains unknown whether the people would accept these ‘active volunteers’ in their new avatars.
The wrong are attempting to prove themselves right with self made-up facts. Corruption, using new equations, is slipping into the circle of honesty.
Needless to say that ideology plays a crucial role in the formation of all your four pillars. But it seems that building blocks of ideology are crumbling. In fact, ideology is being killed. Many of your 'active volunteers' have been found involved in different scams and scandals but all are trying to prove themselves innocent by going to any means.
No one knows when dishonesty comes hidden in veils of honesty. The places where you ought to be respected, you are mocked. But you still stay calm. You, in fact, can do nothing. Several crises arising due to regionalism are breaking you down. Recently, a boy from Arunachal Pradesh became a victim of regionalism and racism. Politics over regionalism is not a new thing. The image of the word ‘politics’ has been degraded in the society, and you are a product of the politics.
Naxalism and many other similar issues arising due to social, economic and political inequalities are spreading their wings. It is an irony that Naxalism-like problems are dealt with the stick of law and order. Naxalism has been painted as a great threat to the country in the minds of the people.
You are being assaulted from all sides. No doubt, each and every religion is equal for you. But your ‘active volunteers’ are not ready to accept this. A deliberate attempt is being made to connect the ideology of Hindutva to nationalism. And in this attempt they have achieved some success already. On the pretext of nationalism, members of a particular community are being labelled terrorists and sent to jail.
Recently, a group of new ‘active volunteers’ have emerged in your 'rajya'. Like the others, this group, too, has pledged to save you. Whether they will provide you any strength or not, only time will tell.
Earlier, it seemed that the forthcoming ‘grand festival’ would start a new tradition but it no longer seems so. You, however, will celebrate this festival anyway as you enjoy even amidst all the evils like casteism, communalism etc.
The credentials of the fourth pillar which claims to be your watchdog is under doubt. In fact, there is no slice of you in its constituent itself. So many surveys have disclosed that there is no proper representation of the society in its formation, then how can it become the mirror of the society? Its credibility is in crisis due to sexual assault charges, sting operation over opinion polls, paid news practices and biased reporting.
The character of ‘religious gurus’ was also exposed. The condition of women is pathetic. You have always advocated about equality and campaigned to get them their due rights and recognitions. But your all four elements pretend that nothing unusual is happening. The pending status of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament is a prime example of this. Judiciary, too, is not untouched. Many cases have come that raised questions over its functioning.
I am writing the letter at the time when Rajya Sabha TV is telecasting a documentary on Samvidhan, a collection of guard for you. Atrocities on Dalits and backward people still continue. The matter of social justice is not a topic of debate. Capitalism is flourishing and power is locked in the hands of only a few. A new ideology – ‘all is fair’ is in vogue to get power.
The rights which must be given to the Dalits, the backward people, and the minorities have not reached there. Nowadays, a new phrase -- aam aadmi -- is in fashion. In fact, since your birth, the political parties have established an ‘emotional’ connection with the “aam aadmi” but currently the phrase is being widely used, particularly after the entry of a new group of ‘active volunteers’ in your arena. The same phrase is now being used as the identity of the political party. Nonetheless, the phrase is just a political jargon and is used to gain power.
An unusual situation is being observed in your rajya.. People are feeling alienated in their own states. Undoubtedly, the role of all your four pillars cannot be ignored here. Some days back, the Uttar Pradesh State government slapped sedition charges on the students of a private university for praising another country's cricket team. Although, it is a different matter that the government later on withdrew the case. Why didn't your four pillars never try to think about the causative factors for situations like these? Is it a crime to praise another country? Your mindset isn't so narrow then why your ‘active volunteers’ think like that.
You recently experienced a ‘Janandolan” (‘people’s movement’) that was launched by your new active volunteers. It was claimed be the 'second Independence' revolution. You are the consequence of the First Independence revolution. What will be the result of the second movement? That's yet to be seen.
However, let me tell you that there are no such things seeing in this movement. One thing I can say with confidence that your strongest guard i. e your people are with you. They are very innocent and they are being cheated by all four elements. But these practices will not go a long way. It is my belief.
Again my good wishes.
Amit Chamria is a freelance journalist. Presently, he is doing research in media from Jamia Millia Islamia.
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