Dr John Mohan Razu
December 2019, a memorable month that shall never be forgotten. For many, it was historic and defining moment whose fading hope came alive. Majority of people thought that their idea of India was ebbing out despite their active engagements to retrieve the values and ethos that they had been cherishing in a secular, free, inclusive constitutional democracy. Disillusioned with the sort of governance and politics of the day and the ways with which the Indian society was right across the country vertically divided and gravely polarized on the notions of nationalism, citizenship, democracy and secularism. For some everything looked bleak and doomed.
2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections were the crucial and triggering points wherein BJP, a far-right nationalistic populist sectarian party formed the government and went ahead almost sweeping the electoral processes by aligning with regional parties either having pre-poll alliances or in the event of failing to get majority of seats somehow managed to enter into post-poll alliances by offering all sorts of things forming governments at the state levels and thus pitched the saffron flag right across the country by conveying a clear message to all that the shift hitherto would undoubtedly be towards one party, one rule, one leader, one language, one culture and one religion. In that oneness they say the Hindu majoritarianism.
Towards this end BJP went ahead by appointing its candidates in almost all the organs of the state and institutions of governance. Nuanced narratives of PM Modi mesmerized the electorates on “development” insulated with tall promises and packages that attracted the youth of the nation—particularly the young first and second time voters. The well-oiled party machinery of BJP that excels other political parties when it comes to money, propaganda, analysis and execution coupled with PM Mod’s charisma and oratorical connectivity with the masses created a myth across the nation that PM Modi and BJP are invincible and would stay beyond 2024.
PM Modi and HM Amit Shah seemed to have undermined the power of the citizens particularly the youth of India. Without credible opposition and counter-narratives the duos garnered and moved from stronger, higher and greater with arrogance assuming that no force could halt the growing juggernaut of PM Modi and BJP. A dictum goes well to the context we are in: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. In the wake of disparaged opposition on the one hand and PM Modi enjoying absolute power on the other have deepened the crisis of functioning of democracy pushing it to dire straits resulting in unregulated accumulation of power in absolute terms. It is obvious that having absolute power tends to undermine by bulldozing that comes in their ways. Absolute power adds arrogance and often reckless.
Brute majority combined with other paraphernalia, enabled the ruling dispensation in legislating some of the crucial and critical sections that paves way to translate their vision as explicated in BJP’s political manifesto. Power has no limits and we are aware of the fact that if it is not moderated then it goes erratic.The duos went ahead assuming that as usual there would be no resistance from the electorates as both the houses passed CAB which is now CAA. This time contrary to their expectations their strategy and game plan went topsy-turvy. The ruling dispensation for the first time since 2014 faced such an uprising across the country and also from others parts of the world. Along with CAA, NRC and other census initiative these triunes tied up with equations that enjoins CAA+NRC=Hindu Majoritarianism if allowed would be disastrous as these two put together leads to consequential effects since it deals with citizenry questions.
The ruling dispensation after smooth passage of CAB which eventually became an act boosted their confidence rate further and thought the citizens seemed to be happy with their wily moves. Of course, a tiny percentage of populace who believe in Hindu majoritarianism jubilant over CAA and NRC push, but a sizable majority infuriated with BJP’s move and wanted to show their anger. The youth segment quite a huge constituency thought that PM Modi would lead the country to higher heights by transforming India as an economic power hub by opening up employment possibilities and excelling in innovation, science and technology, instead what is happening now is moving towards Hindu Rashtra by introducing CAA and NRC.
Citizenship is basically a fundamental right closely linked to a person’s being and becoming. If it is threatened or questioned or doubted then there can be no bounds. This is what happening across the country. The current ruling dispensation touched the basic right of citizenry based on religion that aggravated many across caste, creed, region and gender. BJP and the far-right fundamentalists wanted to bring about clear wedge between the majority and minority for which they needed a window to push it. CAA and NRC would serve them as the window to open the door to long awaited Hindu Rashtra. This move of BJP was the game-changer that totally irked the majority of the populace especially the youth of this country went raging.
Surprisingly CAA-NRC sparked the fire that simmering and thus spread wild creating anger and ferocity amongst the youth in particular who had no other option except to protest and defy CAA-NRC. It was spontaneous and stunning. The nation never expected such an uprising in recent times that shook the ruling dispensation that sulked and stupefied. BJP especially the duos—PM Modi and HM Shah has taken for granted that the games they play and the narratives they utter the young minds do not know. Those who never voted for the ruling party which is the majority waited patiently somehow stomaching the ruthlessness and juggernaut politics of politics at one point crumble. CAA-NRC paved way and the BJP and its allies did not know how to handle the situation. It was sudden like tsunami devouring the narratives and political rhetoric.
The young millennial gave a fillip to the uprising which was so sudden and swift without any flag or political affiliations or leader except India’s flag and placards against CAA and NRC. The political establishments and political pundits cutting across the ideological lines are taken aback because since 2014 the youth of this country somehow did not raise their voice raging to this magnitude. This time they did vent their steam against CAA-NRC like a pressure cooker. The protests and defiance against CAA-NRC brought the nation under one umbrella and to a standstill. The common ground that brought pan-India together is when the Constitution considered as the basic frame on which secularism; pluralism and socialism stand and is the basic constitutive elements that obviously become the functioning principles in polity and other facets of governance. Deviation from the constitutionally premised articles that are guaranteed as fundamental rights is antithetical to democracy, freedom of religion and right to citizenship.
The young millennial thought that the foundations of our Republic were shaking and so decided and determined to intervene against the draconian CAA and NRC. Citizens in general and young India in particular saw the nefarious designs of BJP when CAA and NRC introduced as a twin-edged lethal weapon that would further hit the constitutional democracy and certainly a blow to the liberal, plural and inclusive ethos of India. PM Modi saw the pan-Indian protests keep gaining momentum and to appease the protesters said those against NRC have their misapprehension and thus contradicted what HM Amit Shah and BJP working president Nadda said on the floor of Parliament said that NRC would be implemented through the country.
Who to believe? Since 2014 the promises PM Modi has been making several statements and promises but failed to manifest on the ground. PM Modi’s statements make many to get astounded for that moment, but fail to “walk the talk”. CAA is now the law and those who are protesting against CAA want the draconian law should be repealed and NRC be rolled back. Both have its innate dialectic dynamics and thus complement each other. In such a scenario Gloria Steinem points out that “Law and justice are not always the same. When they aren’t destroying the law may be the first step towards changing it”. CAA and NRC should not based on religion which diametrically opposed to secular democratic state and secularism. A vibrant democracy is cushioned on accommodation and co-existence of all irrespective of tags.
As of now CAA will be contested by some state governments and there would be total rejection of NRC by most of the State governments. Defiance of CAA and NRC is like what Theodore Roosevelt said long ago that “No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor”. This fits to our context and is more appropriate. Whatever could be in everyone defense of CAA, NRC and NPR, it is aimed at dividing the populace and precisely to find out who belong to which religion so that majority and minority dynamic could easily be found out. In this context one should take RSS Chief Mohan Bhawat in a massive rally in Hyderabad said “All 130 crores of Indians are Hindus whether worship or not worship”. And then he substantiated that “A Hindu who loves the mother land and therefore whoever loves”.
RSS-BJP so beautifully orchestrating the “Hindu” identity and baptizes everyone irrespective of the beliefs, traditions, cultures and faiths. It shows the atrocious audacity of RSS chief Mohan Bhawat who is bent of making India as a Hindu Rashtra and nuances that all the 130 crore people of India are “Hindus” dismissing pluralism and secular fabric of the Indian society. The triangle spheres such as CAA, NRC and NPR are initiated and thus invoked in order to serve as data bank and to find out as well as to gauge who could be considered an Indian citizen and who shall not—religion-based measures. So, the GOI lead by BJP is in a hurry to convert the secular Indian state into Hindu Rashtra with all sorts of measures and if need be to crush those who defy or protest by brute force and other means.
The top rung of BJP vis-à-vis the duos—PM Modi and HM Shah seem to have been caught by their positions and contradictions as one says NRC is still under consideration and the other says it would be executed all over the country. Does it mean the top brass the so-called duos do not concur with each other on NRC or ‘just to fool the citizens’ or ‘a game plan’? We live in a society and a polity filled with false narratives and fake news. Bundles of contradictions keep surfacing and the people of India have been witnessing and seeing through-and-through such as PM Modi’s narratives that there were no detention camps in several states right across the country including Bengaluru. Now citizens are puzzled and awed to know who is speaking the truth in a world of lies and fakes news that are being freely used to establish one’s position and retain power. This is why there are a few who strive for truth to power.
Since December 10, 2019, we have been witnessing protests right across the country. By and large they have been peaceful in nature. Those who took part and participated in these protests belong to young India. However, it is to be noted that the BJP-ruled state governments have arrested thousands of people and put them behind bars. Many BJP-ruled state governments shut down internet facility in most pockets. The young India came out and communicated to those who govern that what kind of India they want to live in and inherit. The idea of India of the ruling dispensation and the idea of India of the millennial failed to match with each other and so the anti-CAA—NRC protests we have been witnessing for more than three weeks. There is a clear contestation and division between those who think differently of what type of India they want and the young Indians would like to have their India which is diametrically opposed.
They are indeed juxtaposed in such ways that exposit: Majority Vs Minority, Exclusive Vs Inclusive, Hindu Rashtra Vs Secular India and Intolerant Vs Tolerant. It is in this context let me invoke J Krishnamurti who said that “It is important while you are young to live in a fear-free environment. Most of us, as we grow older, are afraid of living of losing a job, afraid of tradition, afraid of what the neighbours, or what the wife or husband would say, afraid of death.” As rightly pointed out the protests and demonstrations that we have been witnessing right across the country are predominantly dominated by the young India who openly defies the idea of India of the ruling dispensation which is driven on religious grounds; while the millennial want a liberal, democratic, humane, secular, plural and inclusive India.
More such rhetoric and narratives keep emerging from the Hindu nationalists and others in order to deflect and deviate from the ailing economy, joblessness, spiraling of prices, inflation and many such others. In tune to this, Congressional Research Service came out candidly that “Many analysts content that the Modi-BJP government is responding to significantly slowed economic growth by becoming even more reliant on emotive, religious-based issued to consolidate political support.” RSS-BJP schema shall never work because the recent elections clearly proven that divisive majoritarian politics based on religion, culture and identity shall never be translated as majority of those who face all sorts of economic problems have been badly hit them in their day-to-day existential realms. India’s ailing economy is in doldrums and the current economic scenario of our country posits negative signals.
Instead of engaging in the exercise of revamping the sluggish economy, the BJP government is involved in polarizing politics that makes many to rethink. Great White’s widely acclaimed dictum: “Once bitten, twice shy”, fails to work with the duos who want to go ahead and are totally focused and determined to push the country as theocratic. RSS-BJP and other nationalists are determined to go all out—thinking that “Now or never”, and so, they keep bulldozing. As of now PM Modi’s juggernaut has lost its ground, speed and charisma. People of India particularly those who voted for him have come to a realization that PM Modi failed to deliver the promises that he made and deviated from the vision taking India to greater progress, inclusive development and holistic prosperity, but engaged in polarization and majoritarian politics and in the process has let them down.
Election results of the recently held in different states amply proves this point portraying their anguish and anger. Amidst faltering standards of polity, failing expectations of governance and falling notions of democracy, when brute majority takes over the reins of the country and imposes its brute force on the citizens should be countered, defied and resisted through democratic means and methods. The protests against CAA, NRC and NPR continues and there has been no let up to buckle under pressure and in the process to cave in to the totalitarian apparatus of the state that employs all its agencies to quell the uprisings that has been going on since December 10, 2019. The uprisings in different pockets of India have been spontaneous and consistent with a purpose and objective.
More importantly, the uprisings have thus far been led and dominated by young India and the millennial participated in huge numbers that covered pan India. India they envisaged and its governance should be participatory and democratic. The message young India conveyed to the rest of India that their India they envision ought to be free, inclusive, plural, liberal and democratic; that cut across diverse identities, faith persuasions, ethnicities, race, region, community and host of others premised on the Principles and Articles of the Constitution. December 2019, is significant in the annuals of many; certainly most enduring and promising as the young India defied by expressing their anger against the draconian legislation and initiatives such as CAA, NRC and NPR primarily meant to identify who belong to which religion.
Hitting the highways, main roads and by-lanes in thousands and millions of Young Indians spanning almost all the capitals of the country, the young India expressed in unison to the ruling dispensation and Hindu fundamentalists that divisive ideology and majoritarian political project on the basis of religion shall never be accepted because they believe in soul of the Constitution and the basic fundamentals of India’s ethos that are grounded on secularism and inclusivity. Deviation from the basic civilizational ethos of India shall never be accepted at any cost. “Unity in Diversity” being the hallmark of India’s foundational principle, the oppositional narrative such as “Unity in Uniformity” shall never be accepted and accommodated. This is the ground-breaking moment for India as the young India has thus discovered and captured the idea of India they want and to live with. The protests unequivocally rejected sectarian and partisan notions of India.
The modern political consciousness of the millennial resurrected the waning hopes and aspirations of those who have been unsure of the future of India and their children and grand children. The current uprisings and narratives of the millennial thus affirmed and conveyed a clear message that the future of India is in the safe hands of the youth of India. At this juncture two sayings flash before me: Roy T. Bennett said that “Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in our heart.” In tune to this, Ralph Waldo Emerson opined that “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” Year 2020 ahead of us is a continuum to 2019 that passed by offering resolve, unfolding resilience, assuring confidence, instilling hopes and fulfilling aspirations for a better world.
