Political Dogfight & Gandhian Legacy

Political Dogfight & Gandhian Legacy​

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 29th Mar. 2018

The Pied Pipers of politics in India while playing their ‘Game’, seem to have become oblivious to any of the Gandhian symbolisms as well. This is happening as Ministers cry ‘Systemic flaws’ in efforts to wash their hands off, from crisis and thus putting onus on the bureaucracy. Or this can also be on the lack of evolution of the system, or political understanding for any area, like in the field of IT security/data privacy and many of the new ideas/issues cropping up on this count. Again such things would be blamed on the ‘system/bureaucracy’ for not having evolved up without any political guidance to it or necessary budgetary support or academic research/think-tanks etc. This is far from say Shastri’s India, and using this name in order not to be politically incorrect, where some of the system’s fallacy also used to be part of ‘moral responsibility’ of the head of the concerned ministry. However, now we have ‘voice wars and paper tigers’ for politics offering their services to people and a media pouring the black ink all over in free flow. It is interesting that Gandhian Anna Hazare’s call, also echoed in some ways at the Apex court as well for Lokpal and Lokaukts, and is still being downplayed. This seem to be bereft of any rationale explanation now since Ministers want to blame the system and are allowed to get away. In such a scenario a neutral third party to investigate, fix responsibilities and cleanse the system should be a necessity rather than something to be shun by the Netas in government. Now, the agency can be for the identified sins as well as those which it identifies on its own, or get some complaint/information thus making its role more meaningful. There also has been an attached call for support to farmers which form the backbone of the distressed rural economy, but one can easily witness caste and religion wars being played out in ensuing elections to keep such voter divided. So it’s ‘Long Live the Gandhi’ message from the political side and this is while the Netas want to ‘unite people’ behind them/their party which includes tactics to divide people basis caste or religion. Nearly everyone knows the result as even the party that reaped the Gandhi dividend is only betting on being able to formulate a coalition of parties or a suitable collage of Netas to keep its stock rolling and fate of the other is likely to be similar.

In fact, we have reached to a point where smaller excursions in supposedly ‘independent’ government bodies like mis-management in Higher Education, Healthcare institutions, recruitment units a la Vyapam (but ubiquitous) etc. are no longer ‘within call of duty’ for anyone in the government, be it either center or state. In fact people are made to bear with operational failure in governance with the Ministers wanting to get away easily blaming bureaucrats. With the demand for Lokpal and Lokayukts being picked up again, ‘Game’ would hope that the issues be discussed threadbare including to what extent these overhang over the cause of the farmers. From the perspective of public, the Lokpal and Lokaukts mean a ‘zero tolerance’ over operational failures in governance. What I mean is that creation of the bodies/institutions would not stop this, but would be activated once such failures are reported and then fulfill the operational gaps including punishment for those failing or hindering the policies, procedures etc. The issue of Digitization or automation in government has been a demand for which there has been some developments, however the tracks still seem patchy at best. We have well reported failures like the systematic collection of ‘transportation cess’ in spite of GST, or farmers unable to get the declared MSP for their produce in Mandi, diversion of budget for unauthorized purposes, besides others. The political class has been good for little since it only involved in trading charges and countercharges and there seems a lack of a neutral investigative machinery especially for areas which the Netas in opposition would seriously want to be explored. Much of the political class now knows that it may not be able to sustain themselves in a continuous political see-saw and tumult, however they remain hesitant in taking any initiatives by themselves. This includes taking such opportunities afforded by many of the Aandolans, including the one by venerable Hazare.

Then of course there are other farmer related woes which require decisions including economic/financial re-engineering with several implications having bearing over a large population. While people would like some solution to emerge to ease distress in the sector with large human consequences, however what may be needed over the longer term is a smooth weaning away of a large number of small farmers towards other non-farm jobs. What the Netas have done is that kept most of the jobs/businesses in the unorganized segment and allowing them with some lollypop by the way of relief from taxation and other procedural rigmarole that organized sector has to undergo. This is then used to suppress voice of such businesses and allows only those having some political backing to rise up. Even the bank credit or electricity/water/sanitation etc. is denied to the sector to stifle its growth and the employee rights aren’t paid any heed as well. Thus government remains without necessary funds, but also washes away hands from having to progress these businesses or to worry about the employment conditions for people in the unorganized sector. While taxes like GST tends to make changes to the segment, it also brings about responsibilities that would call for cogent plans to nurture the sector including ease of supply of the cheaper bank credit. In fact the businesses should be encouraged to expand including to take over stressed units and assets of the organized business groups that are credit mis-managed. Instead of attempting to find ‘growth opportunities’ the Netas keep bureaucrats busy with the political rigmarole in quests around caste or religion and this supports their ability for ‘scams’, which they don’t want to be plugged via a Lokpal or Lokaukt. Many of the farmer woes can be ameliorated if only the operational smoothening is resorted to, rather than a wholesale reforms in pricing or supplies, which may have wider ramifications (Pl. note that this line should not be construed as any opposition to reforms, but only to identify what can be achieved but has not been done).

Now we have some moves to formalize some new political fronts. As is the habit of the Commercial News Media, only the agglomeration of Netas is being reported rather than any attempts to ‘explore’ issues, agendas, policies or plans. In fact the report that some Netas & parties may not be fully comfortable with some other Netas & parties, says this all. That Netas would not want any issues or agendas to be associated with, but just one-upmanship and the Commercial News Media would continue to ‘sell’ this as per its established traditions. The reports of Netas to align along caste lines or to oppose reforms in governments are side-lined with ease, rather than played up while seeking further clarity around future policies. This is while the currently perceived main rivals persists with mixed signals including its caginess about the issues being voiced by Hazare and team besides other ‘Game’ issues. The tradition of the Commercial News Media has allowed parties and Netas to nurture political ambitions without having any cogent plan or a set of policies that are well articulated publicly, but simply on the backing of the money & muscle power and this is sought to be nurtured. With the ‘Game’ forecasts, neither of the main political rivals may sure that how the ‘loose partners’ of the so called Third Front are likely to end up with and since the issues and agenda sets are hazy as such so this shall continue to be an area of interest. And then of course the fate of Netas and parties in partnership like one in Bihar or elsewhere will also be watched including ones who had partnered with other rival in past, by these loose Third Front parties. However, ‘Game’ predicts that this Third Front Game will only evolve post general elections especially if the Netas continue to keep issues and agendas under the carpet with prompt support from the media. Let the ‘Game’ evolve…

 

[Swaswati Borpuzari]

The political climate in India has always been a melting pot of ideologies, conflicts, and alliances, but the phenomenon of the "political dogfight" has taken on new dimensions in recent years. This term, often used to describe the intense and sometimes acrimonious debates and confrontations between political parties and leaders, has roots that can be traced back to the early days of the nation's struggle for independence. However, the Gandhian legacy, which emphasizes non-violence, truth, and social justice, remains a powerful influence in Indian politics, even as it is continuously challenged and reinterpreted by contemporary leaders and movements. Mahatma Gandhi's principles, while seemingly at odds with the cutthroat nature of today's political discourse, continue to inspire a segment of the population that seeks a more ethical and compassionate approach to governance. The tension between these two extremes—on one hand, the aggressive and often polarizing political dogfights, and on the other, the enduring ideals of Gandhian philosophy—reflects the broader struggle in India to balance modern political realities with a rich historical and cultural heritage. This dynamic is not only a testament to the resilience of Gandhi's teachings but also to the evolving nature of Indian democracy, where the fight for power and the pursuit of moral principles coexist, albeit sometimes uneasily, in the public sphere.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

Political Dogfight & Gandhian Legacy​

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 29th Mar. 2018

The Pied Pipers of politics in India while playing their ‘Game’, seem to have become oblivious to any of the Gandhian symbolisms as well. This is happening as Ministers cry ‘Systemic flaws’ in efforts to wash their hands off, from crisis and thus putting onus on the bureaucracy. Or this can also be on the lack of evolution of the system, or political understanding for any area, like in the field of IT security/data privacy and many of the new ideas/issues cropping up on this count. Again such things would be blamed on the ‘system/bureaucracy’ for not having evolved up without any political guidance to it or necessary budgetary support or academic research/think-tanks etc. This is far from say Shastri’s India, and using this name in order not to be politically incorrect, where some of the system’s fallacy also used to be part of ‘moral responsibility’ of the head of the concerned ministry. However, now we have ‘voice wars and paper tigers’ for politics offering their services to people and a media pouring the black ink all over in free flow. It is interesting that Gandhian Anna Hazare’s call, also echoed in some ways at the Apex court as well for Lokpal and Lokaukts, and is still being downplayed. This seem to be bereft of any rationale explanation now since Ministers want to blame the system and are allowed to get away. In such a scenario a neutral third party to investigate, fix responsibilities and cleanse the system should be a necessity rather than something to be shun by the Netas in government. Now, the agency can be for the identified sins as well as those which it identifies on its own, or get some complaint/information thus making its role more meaningful. There also has been an attached call for support to farmers which form the backbone of the distressed rural economy, but one can easily witness caste and religion wars being played out in ensuing elections to keep such voter divided. So it’s ‘Long Live the Gandhi’ message from the political side and this is while the Netas want to ‘unite people’ behind them/their party which includes tactics to divide people basis caste or religion. Nearly everyone knows the result as even the party that reaped the Gandhi dividend is only betting on being able to formulate a coalition of parties or a suitable collage of Netas to keep its stock rolling and fate of the other is likely to be similar.

In fact, we have reached to a point where smaller excursions in supposedly ‘independent’ government bodies like mis-management in Higher Education, Healthcare institutions, recruitment units a la Vyapam (but ubiquitous) etc. are no longer ‘within call of duty’ for anyone in the government, be it either center or state. In fact people are made to bear with operational failure in governance with the Ministers wanting to get away easily blaming bureaucrats. With the demand for Lokpal and Lokayukts being picked up again, ‘Game’ would hope that the issues be discussed threadbare including to what extent these overhang over the cause of the farmers. From the perspective of public, the Lokpal and Lokaukts mean a ‘zero tolerance’ over operational failures in governance. What I mean is that creation of the bodies/institutions would not stop this, but would be activated once such failures are reported and then fulfill the operational gaps including punishment for those failing or hindering the policies, procedures etc. The issue of Digitization or automation in government has been a demand for which there has been some developments, however the tracks still seem patchy at best. We have well reported failures like the systematic collection of ‘transportation cess’ in spite of GST, or farmers unable to get the declared MSP for their produce in Mandi, diversion of budget for unauthorized purposes, besides others. The political class has been good for little since it only involved in trading charges and countercharges and there seems a lack of a neutral investigative machinery especially for areas which the Netas in opposition would seriously want to be explored. Much of the political class now knows that it may not be able to sustain themselves in a continuous political see-saw and tumult, however they remain hesitant in taking any initiatives by themselves. This includes taking such opportunities afforded by many of the Aandolans, including the one by venerable Hazare.

Then of course there are other farmer related woes which require decisions including economic/financial re-engineering with several implications having bearing over a large population. While people would like some solution to emerge to ease distress in the sector with large human consequences, however what may be needed over the longer term is a smooth weaning away of a large number of small farmers towards other non-farm jobs. What the Netas have done is that kept most of the jobs/businesses in the unorganized segment and allowing them with some lollypop by the way of relief from taxation and other procedural rigmarole that organized sector has to undergo. This is then used to suppress voice of such businesses and allows only those having some political backing to rise up. Even the bank credit or electricity/water/sanitation etc. is denied to the sector to stifle its growth and the employee rights aren’t paid any heed as well. Thus government remains without necessary funds, but also washes away hands from having to progress these businesses or to worry about the employment conditions for people in the unorganized sector. While taxes like GST tends to make changes to the segment, it also brings about responsibilities that would call for cogent plans to nurture the sector including ease of supply of the cheaper bank credit. In fact the businesses should be encouraged to expand including to take over stressed units and assets of the organized business groups that are credit mis-managed. Instead of attempting to find ‘growth opportunities’ the Netas keep bureaucrats busy with the political rigmarole in quests around caste or religion and this supports their ability for ‘scams’, which they don’t want to be plugged via a Lokpal or Lokaukt. Many of the farmer woes can be ameliorated if only the operational smoothening is resorted to, rather than a wholesale reforms in pricing or supplies, which may have wider ramifications (Pl. note that this line should not be construed as any opposition to reforms, but only to identify what can be achieved but has not been done).

Now we have some moves to formalize some new political fronts. As is the habit of the Commercial News Media, only the agglomeration of Netas is being reported rather than any attempts to ‘explore’ issues, agendas, policies or plans. In fact the report that some Netas & parties may not be fully comfortable with some other Netas & parties, says this all. That Netas would not want any issues or agendas to be associated with, but just one-upmanship and the Commercial News Media would continue to ‘sell’ this as per its established traditions. The reports of Netas to align along caste lines or to oppose reforms in governments are side-lined with ease, rather than played up while seeking further clarity around future policies. This is while the currently perceived main rivals persists with mixed signals including its caginess about the issues being voiced by Hazare and team besides other ‘Game’ issues. The tradition of the Commercial News Media has allowed parties and Netas to nurture political ambitions without having any cogent plan or a set of policies that are well articulated publicly, but simply on the backing of the money & muscle power and this is sought to be nurtured. With the ‘Game’ forecasts, neither of the main political rivals may sure that how the ‘loose partners’ of the so called Third Front are likely to end up with and since the issues and agenda sets are hazy as such so this shall continue to be an area of interest. And then of course the fate of Netas and parties in partnership like one in Bihar or elsewhere will also be watched including ones who had partnered with other rival in past, by these loose Third Front parties. However, ‘Game’ predicts that this Third Front Game will only evolve post general elections especially if the Netas continue to keep issues and agendas under the carpet with prompt support from the media. Let the ‘Game’ evolve…

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