By Dhurjati Mukherjee
There is no lack of legitimate concern for people in India to be upset with their government, be it of the BJP or the Congress or any other Opposition party. Thus, the Gen Z upsurge along with all Opposition parties may not be considered unreasonable. More so, when there is anger brewing against the CEC Gyanesh Kumar for allegedly acting unilaterally, and not taking his two Election Commissioners into confidence on number of decisions, which impact the constitutional right to vote.
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In a democracy, it is vital for political parties and their leaders to engage with the people all the time and not just during election time. It is essential that when protests erupt, the leaders must engage with the protesters in discussions and try to find a mutually agreed formula to resolve the problem. Using brute force to curb dissent is clearly not a solution.
Recall, while Mahatma Gandhi who throughout his life advocated peaceful resistance, it did not deter the colonial police to detain persons without a warrant. The plainest truth that emerges every time from when Gandhi stood up against the Rowlatt Act to when Shyama Prasad Mookerjee protested against the promulgation of Article 370 by entering J&K without a permit, to when the Opposition stood up against the declaration of Emergency by Indira Gandhi, that there is evidence of non-violent resistance against the establishment.
Questions arise whether the State has developed a genuinely democratic instinct, more so in recent times. Earlier when the CJP launched a protest demanding resignation of then Education Minister Pradhan, it took the government days to call for negotiations when the demands were more than prudent. This time also the protests speak of some manipulation by the CEC and it is vital that the government come clean in the matter.
Governments have come and gone but the characteristic of the State machinery remains largely unchanged. The system of governance to centralised and democratic decentralisation, as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and by Jaiprakash Narayan has been totally ignored. Now we have a structure where power and authority is concentrated in the hands of a few politicians with Modi as the deciding factor.
Do we, as citizens, cherish such a situation in the country? Obviously not, more so when we talk of democratic plurality every other day. The reason behind the protests, geared by the young generation, is the fact that the present regime has sought to ignore their interests, have aided business houses to grow manifold but not shown the same zeal towards needs and demands of the economically weaker sections and the marginalised groups, including Dalits and tribals.
The first wave of cockroach turmoil in form of protest for fair examinations, which has a direct impact on the youth, is a different ball game from demanding the resignation of the CEC. It has larger repercussions as the mandate of the EC is to ensure free and fair polls which install governments to work towards fulfilling aspirations of providing necessities of a dignified livelihood.
It is indeed disturbing why stifling dissent and shielding people who resort to unfair means, at the behest of the ruling dispensation, has been continuing. These are not unique to India but are manifest in many other countries, revealing that the intrinsic values of democratic polity are on the decline, which does not augur well for any society. India, with its various problems, needs the efforts of civil society as well as the Opposition to help in effective transformation of society to translate the needs and welfare of the masses into a reality.
‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 can only be achieved by taking the Opposition, the civil society, the academics and all others together and listening to their opinion in an unfettered manner. The BJP’s call ‘we will do it’ mantra cannot be achieved single-handedly but through dialogue and consultation that is imperative in a democratic and pluralist society. The challenges and problems of the country are insurmountable and only a cooperative approach can help in solving these, not by stifling dissent.
