A K Antony |
Mr A K Antony’s recent remark
that the appeasement of minority communities by the Congress party has led to
its disgraceful defeat in the last general elections may generate some debate
in the country. However, it is not only
the Congress but also many other political parties in the country that should
take an introspective look at themselves vis-Ã -vis their attitude towards
religions.
One of the greatest
tragedies in independent India has been the misuse of religion by its
politicians. The catastrophic misuse
started even before Independence and the British imperial government’s
divide-and-rule policy added the necessary fuel to the fire.
The vision embodied in the
Constitution of India with respect to religion is very noble indeed. It respects every religion and allows the
citizens to follow the religion of their choice or not follow any. What happened from the time of Indira Gandhi
onward has been disastrous for the country, however. After her rout ensuing the Emergency, Ms
Gandhi viciously made use of religion in order to come back to power. She made “detours to visit numerous places of
worship, call on saints of all denominations,” as reported by Ramesh Chandran (Illustrated Weekly of India, 5 Nov
1978). And was she successful!
Indira Gandhi had started
communalising Indian politics in the early 1970s. In 1969, the Congress had split and in order
to gather the support base for her faction [Congress (I)] Ms Gandhi started
appealing to the lower castes. Garibi Hatao became the party’s election
motto in 1971. The election manifesto of
the party promised much to the lower castes including the formation of a
Backward Class Commission.
Eventually the backward
classes and certain minority religious communities became the vote banks of the
Congress party. Many other parties
learnt the lesson and started appeasing different religious groups and castes
in their own ways. Many of the
contemporary leaders in different states achieved success by playing the same
tricks that Ms Gandhi made use of in her own way.
The sad truth, however, is
that not many of the people of India gained anything by all the reservation
policies, Backward Commissions, and other such political gimmicks. The poor in India continued (and still
continue) to be poor – with some exceptions, of course. It is only the politicians who really
benefited from all the communalisation of Indian politics.
The BJP’s demands for
Ayodhya Temple, its anger against the reservation policies and other forms of
minority appeasement, and other demands such as for Uniform Civil Code were all
reactions to what the Congress and other political parties were doing. The majority obviously felt left out because
of the political games played in the name of minorities and backward castes. So the majority had to play their own
games. Rath yatras and riots became part
of those games. Gujarat 2002 is still
fresh in our collective memory.
Memory mixed with desire
can stir dull roots with new life, as T S Eliot wrote in his poem, The Waste Land. Memories and desires worked together in the
2014 general elections. Every action in
human affairs has a reaction, not merely equal but more emphatic.
Mr A K Antony has been
honest enough to acknowledge this history of actions and reactions in Indian
politics of the last half a century. It
is not only the Congress that should sit down for some serious
introspection. Almost every political party
in the country is guilty of the same crime: communalisation of politics. Perhaps, Antony’s confession can lead to some
cleansing in the Augean stables of Indian politics. And liberate secularism from the clutches of
vested interests of all kinds.
This is so true Tomichan, the one thing which no one seems to have a problem is politicization of religion! And looks like every opposition party is in cohort as they go on doing it silently!
ReplyDeleteMost parties are doing it now; it has become an easy way to electoral victory. I hope Mr Antony's remark will make the nation debate the issue and arrive at a sane decision.
Deletehow can we claim to be secular amidst fundamentalist cacophony. its clearly political major faux de passe. Leaders of tomm are still born in society which is rudimentary & yet we strive to produce perfect mix of ethical & charismatic pro genies.vote-bank politics has eaten away d prospects & educating the voters, we seems to be swayed with less efforts by divide & rule policy uphold by British
ReplyDeleteRaj.
Can we enlighten our politicians? That's the question.
DeleteNice and insightful article. Very fluid description
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteYes,a very informative well researched piece...
ReplyDeleteFrom memory, Rajeev, no research - except the quote from 1978. I was just out of school when Indira Gandhi declared Emergency.
Delete