Weakening Confidence in Democracy

Humanity is on the move. Migrants look for better places, and thinkers search for better ideas. Political philosophers hunt for realistic ways of living together within political units. There doesn't seem to be a convincing formula that can encapsulate all variables. As confidence in democracy is weakening in democratic countries like the US and the UK, self-assertion is growing stronger in authoritarian nations like China and Russia. Unthinking masses who look to strong decision-makers yield to power-hungry politicians skilled in the clever use of words and manipulation of religious, ethnic, and/or nationalistic emotions.

Stanford University's findings show that people are not eager for authoritarian leaders. Emotion-builders manipulate political processes and create an atmosphere where society has no choice but to surrender to power-seekers. For example, opinions have been tilting in America recently. A New York Times survey showed that 48 per cent were for Donald Trump and 43 per cent for Joe Biden. It was the opposite a while ago. With all their sworn loyalty to democracy, the Republicans couldn't find another candidate but Trump. Criminal or not, Trump stands tall. Some Democrats themselves have shifted their stance.

It can tilt again, for sure.

Can Polities that Thrive on War be Called Democracies?

But how are things with Biden, on the other side? A soft-spoken President is seen as a war-monger. Arab-Americans consider him a collaborator with Benjamin Netanyahu in his genocide in Gaza. Over 30,000 have been killed, 70,000 wounded, and 2 million driven from their homes. And what about the Ukraine war? Western support for it weakens as the war completes its second year, not Biden's. He admitted that the fall of Adiivka was due to inadequate European support.

Biden called Putin "crazy." But what name should be given to those whose economy is built chiefly on war, on the manufacturing and perfecting of weapons? Many Western leaders will go silent here. Pope Francis defined war as "madness". He spoke harshly about those who drew huge "profits" from arms production.

Let us take another step ahead. What about respect for life itself? About a dozen countries have legalised assisted euthanasia in recent years. For bearers of death who offer this "precious gift" to unborn children in their mothers' wombs and to weakening elders whose economic contribution has ended, consider it a pleasure and an honour to give it to those who differ from them. Abortion-Euthanasia-Murder-War… there is a continuum. What about this democracy that does not respect life? Are violence-promoting democracies really democracies?

In what way can these democracies claim superiority over authoritarian Russia, whose economy too benefitted from the war despite sanctions, growing 2.6 per cent and profiting from war production? Over China that gave full support? Over North Korea and Iran that provided arms? Embarrassingly, India made the best use of Russia's cheap oil?

Indian Democracy Moving to Hatred, Even If Not Yet to War

Where are Buddha's and Gandhi's Indias today? Why are there glorification of Godse, boasts about Balakot strikes on the Pakistan border and impressive production of Brahmo missiles? Tomorrow, African communities will be killing each other with Indian weapons.

Are things going well in India itself? Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from this land are crowding on the EU-UK-US borders, side by side with those from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Last year saw a 60 per cent increase in Indians, aged between 18 and 39, crossing the British Channel to the UK on illegal boats after paying smugglers in Calais. Their number was estimated at 1,192. These stand for lakhs attempting an entry along other routes and for different destinations and millions who have already made an entry, legally or illegally. During 2023 alone, over 59,100 Indians became American citizens.

Why this desperate eagerness? What does this rush mean? The answer is simple. A land of amity and community-bondedness seems to have changed to one of harsh words and hatred. India Hate Lab, Washington, has recorded 668 hate events, 75 per cent of which were in BJP-ruled states. Over 36 per cent of them were direct calls for violence, not mere secret plots or hidden utterances.

For instance, KS Eshwarappa asked the PM to pass a law to "shoot and kill traitors". He was speaking about South Indian critics of BJP fanaticisms. He was but echoing a well-known holy man calling for the head of Udhayanidhi Stalin for being critical of caste hierarchy. Patricia Mukhim laments the recent criminalisation of politics in India. Though she was referring to the TMC, the BJP's record remains much higher. Violence increases with demonstrations. The number of protests in Delhi rose by 81 per cent last year and Dharnas by 65 per cent.

Weaponisation of Religion

Not satisfied with creating and importing weapons, politicians wish to weaponise religion itself. Pushparaj Deshpande says, "In reducing Hinduism to an object of electoral and commercial utility, the BJP has alienated all stakeholders who are legitimately disillusioned by the disregard for Hinduism's sanctities…Further, the BJP is estranging India's silent majority, which sees through its divisive instrumentalities".

This deeper level of alienation finds no public expression today, but one day, it will. In fact, none of the four Shankaracharyas, akhars, mutts, ashrams, and religious trusts could accept the idea of a political head consecrating a temple on January 22. In most religious traditions, it amounts to a sacrilege. Aslim Ali claims that Hindutva has developed into a sort of "political monotheism" under the "electoral kingship" of Modi.

Deshpande insists degrading Hinduism in this way is as criminal as fracturing our common "Indianness". "Weaponisation of Hinduism" is the misuse of the holy. What he suggests in response is a gentle approach: "fostering our shared sense of Indianness".

Political Use of Educational Centres, Cross-Voting

The depth of Indian thought stunned Schopenhauer, Schiller, Fichte and many others in their own times. CP Rajendran says that centres of higher learning today are changed into mere "carriers of political propaganda". Informed political discourse has no room there any more. There is no space for free thinking in university discussions, intellectual interactions, or media debates. Perceptive thinkers have gone silent or have been silenced. India occupies the 161st position among 180 countries in the RSF press freedom index, 11 places below Pakistan. Sunanda K Datta-Ray points out how history is combined with myth and facts with fables.

Such developments have led to conflictual thinking, divided loyalties, and competing groups. Double loyalty or shifting fidelity has become standard; it is nothing embarrassing or humiliating. Opportunistic leaders dominate the scene. Cross-voting recently characterised the Rajya Sabha elections in many places; six Himachal Congress MLAs are accused of cross-voting. Floor-crossing and horse-trading have become a matter of pride, a daily routine for some. As Lalu Prasad explains, Nitish Kumar has a habit of switching sides. There are no motivating ideologies on the scene, no acceptable principles. We have moved back to pre-British anarchy in the subcontinent.

Murder of Democracy

The Election Commission has asked campaigners not to seek votes based on caste, religion, or language and warned social media not to vilify candidates. ECI maintains an independent technical expert committee to evaluate the EVMs' technical features, designs, and performance improvements. The Supreme Court considers EVMs reliable.

For all that, we know that a piece of equipment is as reliable as the person who handles it. Even independent of equipment, the recent Chandigarh mayoral election exposed the ruling parties' brazen styles of deciding election issues. They declared eight valid votes invalid. The Supreme Court rectified the situation, with DY Chandrachud calling it the "murder of Democracy". But what about general elections when thousands of such cases will arise? Freedom House, Washington, fears flawed elections, like in Pakistan. Pluralism is waning in India, it says.

And what about other pressure tactics like the political use of the Enforcement Directorate? If it intervenes to confuse and defeat Opposition strategies, the consequence can be disastrous. Akhilesh Yadav gets a CBI call days after his tie-up with the Congress. Kejriwal receives a summons from the Enforcement Directorate for the 8th time. Will he have to move aside like Hemanta Soren, the CM of Jharkhand? Or will he be spared since he is not a tribal? In the meantime, there was a CBI raid on ailing Satya Pal Malik, former Governor of Kashmir, because he had criticised Modi.

What about the misuse of money? Rahul Gandhi alleges that 30 companies have become extortion agents for the BJP and collected Rs. 335 crores for the party. Even leaving room for exaggeration, the trend stands evident.

Outsourcing Violence

A strategy of Hindutva leaders has been to outsource violence, with police remaining mere observers. They "use" cow vigilantes and morality imposers to victimise Muslims, Dalits and tribals, who are beaten up or killed. We do not know what lies ahead for the Christian community in Assam. Threats are being issued by so-called "fringe elements" and "anti-social groups" against Christian schools for keeping symbols of their own identity and religion. In some places, their very existence is threatened. Meanwhile, government authorities have pleaded ignorance about everything.

Historically, the Northeast was never known for inter-religious tensions or communal clashes. Everyone knows who has brought it to Assam and experimented with it in Manipur. When the bill against "magical healing" came up in the Assam Assembly, Himanta Biswa Sarma admitted it was directed against Christian evangelism. But it can be used against any prayer gathering, for sure. Nagaland Assembly asked which specific community was being targeted. Meghalaya Assembly expressed alarm about this "anti-missionary school" campaign launched in neighbouring Assam. Chief Minister Conrad assured the Assembly he would verify the facts before making complaints. But those who inspired these irrational stands maintain an innocent face so far.

Have Our Leaders Learnt Any Lessons?

If Pragya Thakur and a few others have been refused tickets for the next elections, the leadership is likely learning some lessons. It does no good glorifying Godse in the open. Sudarshans, Togadias, and Singhals, who could make any aggressive statement at any time, have all served the Hindutva cause in their own measure and in their own time. But there is a growing awareness that exalting them today would be merely counter-productive. There was no embarrassment about "using" Pragya Thakurs and Uma Bharatis as long as they had their use, but ultimately, they should move down to levels where they belong. That seems to be the message of the High Command. The humble must remain humble!

Jignesha Mevani of Congress admitted in public in Thiruvananthapuram that Manusmriti would assign him the last place. The Government of Gujarat believes in that order and consequently spends less than 1 per cent on the OBCs, though they form 52 per cent of the population. That is the hierarchical order the BJP would like to impose on all India… the "Gujarat model."

And why doesn't a Prime Minister rushing around the remotest places these days to inaugurate projects make his way into Manipur? Of course, the polarisation his party has been promoting for the last decade will become too evident. Moreover, ignoring Manipur sends a message: Stay where you belong; keep hanging on to the last rung if you wish to survive!

"Inclusive, Smart, Clean, Transparent, Green Government" 

Fred Astaire referred to a wider world when he said, "The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any." Similarly, political dignity is what we miss today. True believers in democracy long to see refinement, decorum, intelligent sharing of ideas, a sense of responsibility, and mutual respect in their political representatives. No matter which party runs the country, these qualities have run short in our country. There is hardly anyone to teach, and there is too little eagerness to learn.

Modiji was speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where he said, "The World needs inclusive, smart, clean, transparent green governments." These governments should interfere minimally in people's lives—sound principles! All we ask of him is that his fellow citizens evaluate his government using the criteria that he has set.

Let the silent majority, not merely the paid agents of the Ruling Party, have a chance to speak up. Let the silenced minority also be given a chance. Let doors be open to new thinking. Let opinions differ. Let objective people evaluate the POLITICAL USE of religion. Let perceptive people suggest better ways forward. That is democracy. This is what the next elections will decide.