Musing : Tyranny of the Non-elected
By
Colonel Krityanand Das, Veteran
This title was coined by Mr Arun Shouri. It is generally used to describe the anarchic ways of groups ousted from power through the electoral process or some who are new and in a great hurry to register their mark by endless agitations with or without reasons by disruptions of public facilities for long period as an easy method to be seen, heard and felt. So that the public gets fed up and opts for a change.
It was ok when it was used against the colonial power to wear them out and keep the struggle visible and going. As it was during our long years of independence movement, specially with Mr MK Gandhi getting complete hold on the Congress.
Then after independence by outfits which had entered the electoral process late and were seeking to be noticed.
Congress had remained as an extension of British Raj through the instrument of Transfer of Power in India as did the Muslim League in Pakistan. In India, the Congress continued till the late70s.
However, in Pakistan the end of the Muslim League, which was rootless in both wings of Pakistan, specially so in West Pakistan as the leadership was virtually of alien stock and recently migrated from India, came early in the late 50s itself.
Their military alone looked bigger and better than the migrated Muslim League. Their Military had roots in rural West Punjab and hence could easily knock off this fragile outcrop planted through the instrument of transfer of power.
Mob works on induced anger. And anger grows on fear, both genuine or apparent. Fear is the key to the gates of castles of anger, the flood gate of chaos and confusion.
Once sectarian flavourful is added to it, then it becomes dangerous. As was Direct Action of August 1946 or the great Calcutta killings by the Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah under the supervision of Suharwady with tacit support of the British, could be one such sad and heinous example of what fringe mobs can do.
Fear of Hindu take over after the end of the British Raj, made the Muslims elites, the Asharafs of muslim minority states of British India scared for likely loss of jobs and privileges and hence they over whealmingly supported that killing of the Hindus for a quick result, which really scared the weak kneed Hindu elites, the Dwij(Gandhi-Nehru)
ruling the roost in Congress, so much that they decided to get rid of Jinnah and his company for good even if that went so far as the partition of the country.
The majority Sudra-Arzal, the common masses had no say but had to bear the burnt.
Such can be the power of unelected. Hence requires firm but careful handling.
Hindu Mahasabha and Rashtriya Swyamsewak Sangh which claimed to represent the Hindus and their interests were really kept at a
distance by both Congress and the British. Both Congress and the Muslim League were led by men who spoke English in Oxbridge accent while those of Hindu Mahasabha and RSS were mostly country pumpkins, whom both British and the Congress leadership kept at a distance.
And they virtually had no say in the transfer of power.They could only react to the out comes.
The first tantrum of sort happening around as present days’ CAA and the Farmer Agitation, was organized by the RSS and Jansangh, in form of movement against Cow Slaughter.
In which sadhus and their Akharas were also roped in to arouse sectarian passion, who virtually stormed the parliament, in which some nine sadhus lost their lives.
The next was the JP Movement,which started from student agitation in Gujarat and Bihar which ultimately led to the declaration of Emergency and then to the end of the Congress rule in the Centre.
Next such movement was organized for the Ram Janambhoomi movement that helped BJP to increase its tally in Parliament.
And now that BJP has consolidated its position in a way that Congress fears a long tenure of remaining with out power in center and in unknown wilderness.
This fear in its leadership and the hang around Left-Liberal cabal has led to all these CAA and Farmer Agitations one after the other. Both agitations lack substance. Both were at one time parts of the thoughts of the same lot that is behind these agitations now.
Both are based on some particular group whose fear can be roused easily on sectarian ground. While former had pure communal overtone hence the later agitation’s scope has now been enhanced by lacing it with economic tinge as well.
So such agitations are nothing new to India.The ruling dispension had tried it before and the one in wilderness is trying the same now.
May be this is the darker side of the democracy.
The recent assault on the Capitol Hill is a proof of this malice that may visit democracies from time to time. When those in power get arrogant or odd characters manage to reach the top and just does not wish to budge even after electoral defeat.
The present agitations of now are run in a way which does not look like the helpless cries of anguish of deprived and the marginalized lot. These are out sourced to some professional event management groups. Well comforted, coordinated and conducted.
These days even in political rallies of the parties, the participating crowds are paid, fed, transported and entertained.With out that no one may show up for the event.The age of volunteerism is over.
Its all पैसा फेको,तमाशा देखो now. And that is the fear. That means, in a place where ideology, idealism are dead and only instant ideas of immediate personal and political gains may work.
Then powers that may be animical to the idea called India,may out source chaos through paid agents.
That was how it started in the18th century, when a foreign trading company that is East India Company could hire both kings and the commoners alike for its own political and commercial gains.
And the end was so sad and painful that lasted for over two centuries of enslavement, impoverishment of the masses and loss of face as a nation.
Only hope history is not repeating itself.
Amen!
