Wonders of Democracy – Run up to March 10, 2022

 

Wonders of Democracy – Run up to March 10, 2022

I am not a Jyotshi or a soothe sayer. I write in my blogs ‘As I Please’ on the basis of my off the cuff understanding of the current situation with regard to the political slugfest which concluded on February 20 in Punjab in the run up to the results on March 10. It is believed that the results are likely to throw some surprises - wonders of democracy - which would determine the things to come in the days to come. So far, only SAD with allies and Congress Party were
taking turns and remained at the helm in Punjab. In the last elections in 2017, AAP appeared on the scene with an impressive presence but still had to content with as Leader of the Opposition. Towards the completion of the tenure, the ruling Congress Party had to change horses with the resignation of CM Captain Amrinder Singh and a dark horse, Charanjit Singh Channi, a dalit,  emerged as a new leader and took over as CM for about 3 months before the elections, 2022.

This time, the scenario was different for the first time. In the changed political landscape, many factors were found which would tend to throw some Wonders of Democracy with multi-cornered contests – Congress Party, Akalis and BSP, BJP and PLC of Captain Amrinder Singh and breakaway group of Akalis under Sukhdev Dhindsa, Sanyukt Samaj Morcha of Kisans, AAP among other disgruntles as independents in the fray.  It was unfortunate that real issues of unemployment, economic slow-down, communal harmony, education, health, corruption were side tracked. And almost all political outfits were engaged in securing position of the CM, wooing dalit vote banks, Hindu-Sikh divide, and pseudo nationalism, upper caste hegemony etc. in a fractured and divided society. No wonders, the results on March 10 would tend to reflect the divided image for the good or the bad, it is hard to say.

I have been writing in these columns about the Punjab elections particularly with reference to dalit issues and here in this piece too I would limit my observations to the dalit issues which had the potentials of influencing the outcome of elections.  But, I think, no political party, due to diverse reasons, could realize this – the dalit swing factor, which would tend to be upset the applecart of many. I

would not be surprised, if it happens so. From January 14 to the run up to elections on February 20, I wrote three times in my blog, which were also carried by the esteemed Ambedkar Times, on the relevant issues which directly impinge on the dalit interests with more that 33% population of Punjab and the elevation of Charanjit Singh Channi to the coveted position of CM considered to be a masterstroke of the Congress Party.

All parties and their leaderships left no efforts and tried their every best to woo dalit vote banks in one way or the other – visiting Dalit Deras, announcing freebies, offering coveted positions in the government to dalits like CM and Deputy CM etc., putting dalit candidates from general seats, roping in highly placed retired dalit bureaucrats as candidates among others.  In spite of internal wranglings for the CM face, Congress Party betted on the dalit face,

Charanjit Singh Channi. SAD is having an alliance with the said to be party of dalits, BSP. AAP and BJP remained non-committal on representation to dalits in the higher echelon of hierarchy. Obviously, the caste Hindu vote factor was equally heavy on their thinking.  In fact, BJP took a U-turn on the question of dalit as their CM face. The caste hegemony of upper caste of both Sikhs and Hindus, traditional social bias against dalits are still weighing heavy in the main stream of the society in accepting the ground reality of electoral mathematics favouring dalits.

I have been writing on some important issues both substantial and emotional which concern dalit communities in the elections – post Matric scholarship, distribution of Shamlat land in the villages, implementation of 85^th Amendmentt of the constitution on reservations, legal framework of Sub Plan for SCs on one side and
destruction of Guru Ravidass Mandir at Tughlakabad in Delhi and long pending proposal on April 14, birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality. But unfortunately nothing much has changed as if these issues fell on deaf ears and closed minds. The political parties, in the prevailing caste ridden scenario, perhaps are not yet ready to come to terms with the ground realities and dalit psyche – the state of mind of the marginalized segments of the society. One can understand hesitation and resistance in addressing the substantial issues due to traditional socio-economic and political mindset in the historical milieu of unequal social order in the society at large. But I could not understand the hesitation and blissful silence on the part of political outfits particularly the ruling BJP in Delhi in responding to the emotional empowerment of dalits . It seems that BJP does not intend to go beyond the proverbial ‘lip service’ to dalits to get their votes. Both the issues – Guru Ravidass

Mandir at Tughlakabad and International Day of Equality fall in the jurisdiction of the government of PM Narendra Modi. BJP is a cadre and mass based party and as such it must feel the pulse of people. But it seems, in the case of dalits, it is still obsessed with the Manuwadi mindset and consciously tends to keep itself aloof keeping in mind their vested interest in the caste Hindu mainstream of the society. I have been consciously extending my hand of support to RSS and its field agencies in carrying forward their professed agenda of “Samrasta” but I think, they also don’t have any serious intent in addressing the real issues to reform and strengthen the social order beyond the optics with cosmetic approach. I hope that the big bosses in the largest NGO of the world would understand my pain. It is a matter of coincidence that both the Ministers dealing with Tughlakabad Mandir and International Day of Equality are retired diplomats, otherwise competent and efficient, perhaps did not have much say in political decisions having bearings on elections. In this scenario it was up to the BJP to come forward and give political directions. But unfortunately, it did not happen.

All said and done, to my mind, BJP has lost the edge in the form of ‘Dalit Swing Factor’ in the Punjab elections. These emotional issues of Tughlakabad Mandir and International Day of Equality weight heavy on the psyche of dalit educated youth and intelligentsia. Had the BJP taken positive decision to address these issues it would have made much needed difference in attracting the attention of the followers of Guru Ravidass and Babasaheb Ambedkar. But that was not to be as, I feel, dalit leadership in BJP is totally helpless and does not enjoy any say in the party and the government. It is a matter of dissatisfaction, kindly excuse me for saying my mind candidly, even the Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji could not, being a dalit, demonstrate any moral and constitutional sensitivity in advising his Government on these matters of interest and concern to the community. These are my personal views as apolitical and humble but thinking citizen. Dalits are no more interested in remain sitting in the fringes. The time is fast reaching when they would assert and grab their long denied space in the corridors of power in Chandigarh and Delhi. Let us wait for March 10; the day would throw some surprised as ‘Wonders of Democracy’. Faiz Ahmed Faiz has said:

ऐ  खाक नशीनों उठ बैठो; वह वक़्त मुक़ाबिल आ पहुंचा ,

जब तख्त  गिराए जाएंगे; और ताज उछाले जाएंगे।