Media Debates: Political & Strategic Vs. Socio-Cultural & Economic
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 22nd Aug. 2016
With violence in streets, stone pelting and gun-running, the lot of political upmanship seems to have once again gained and upper hand in the debates. So focus is to pitch ‘who should and must be listened to’ or else… This is so even as most parties would openly go ahead and admit that they would perhaps have very small impact, but still such listening act would definitely improve ‘mahual’ in the violence hit valley. The issue and complications from the viewpoint of ordinary public might be much different but seldom acknowledged.
It is the mixing of Religion, a socio-cultural aspect with politics that creates much of the complications. This is because the ordinary people are perhaps much more impacted by their freedom within Socio-cultural milieu within their territory (place around home where they would perhaps make life and living). While religion is an important component of this mix, however when religion or the political structure afforded within religious organizational hierarchy starts to fiddle with the political system that co-opts the same as a tool to service some of their political ends; the complexity grows manyfold.
The political system starts to leverage this unbridled power of religion, where people associate with on voluntary basis and also often socialize/group with co-believers. This power is wittingly used to promise Jannat to people as propounded within the ‘books’ but subjugating almost all kind of freedoms that otherwise various cross-sections would seek within the broader religious framework. Quite a few of the followers of the religious teachings would explore the beliefs further to draw new interpretations and beliefs to support and argue for the betterment of different cross-sections.
The politico-strategic community would however prefer some order and that must be in compliance of their own interests rather than enhancing socio-cultural freedoms or even economic well-being of the larger communities. This is despite the fact that what is known to mankind is that when region was entangled with politics, people like Copernicus were lost and several other subjugated and many of these are revered figures even today. While the commercial news media highlights the violence and political aspects, it has a duty to raise questions on the kind of socio-cultural freedoms different cross-sections of society aspire for, and whether those goals are being attempted to be fulfilled by the politico-religious satraps keen to play an upperhand.
The yearning of people to give themselves freedom and rise above a specific situation under prevailing system is seldom given ‘wings’ by the political class myriad in their low self-confidence(to hold power). The current debates in commercial news media would accordingly focus around a narrow nationalism where the religious-politico complex may want to govern geography in a manner deemed fit by a small cross-section. The likely curbing of freedoms of the different cross-sections who may be in support momentarily due to peer-pressures of a religious social grouping blindfolded of the outcomes, is being over-looked due to one-upmanship.
While the government might have to respond to the civil unrest, however the primary role of a democratic government in a secular country holding promise of equality to its people, is to restore individual liberties that being threatened and curbed, rather than losing sight of this in a politically charged discussion. The individual liberties generally tend to be maximized when there are numerous free flowing ideas on religion as well as political thoughts, science, economics and other areas so that people can pursue their chose path with gusto, than narrow sectarian ideas whereby which a few decide what most others should live upto, often under duress rather than any ‘real’ choice. So, its perhaps time to improve the track record of the party in governance be pushed up further…