Our politicians have constantly indulged in using vile language to describe non-Hindus, attack the dietary habits of its citizens and distort the agrarian economy by banning beef and make utterly sexist and misogynist statements.
What does this speak of a country that boasts of being the second largest ‘democracy’ in the world? The biggest strength of a secular democracy lies in its pluralism which today has been subsumed by majoritarian politics. In order to strengthen my argument, I would like to cite certain examples. The Land Bill, 2015, as described by the Government is one that will steer development, rather economic development. But what if we were to rethink development in terms of social development that which endorses and implements complete literacy and accountability, which in the urgency to ‘Make in India’ does not alienate the subaltern section of society, which eliminates stark inequities in infrastructure evident through lack of toilets in most parts of the country, which apart from cash can provide vital inputs such as raw materials and water to the poor who are caught in a web of low quality local providers of health and education for the production of goods and a market to sell these goods.
Ironically, the Gini coefficients show little difference between the state of affairs in India and China but a huge proportion of the Indian population lacks amenities such as a usable toilet, a quality hospital and two square meals a day.
On December 11, 2015, the Government and a majority of Indian population rejoiced over the UN declaring June 21 as International Yoga Day. However, what escaped our notice was the subtle truth that just a day before was International Human Rights Day, in a country where lakhs are languishing in jails, a majority of them being Dalits, Muslims, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, where women still do not enjoy complete autonomy, where exists section 377, where draconian laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act have stripped citizens of “universal” fundamental rights and granted sweeping powers to the Army which commits gross human rights violations with impunity.
A film by Leslee Udwin led to widespread discussion on its merits and its censorship. But irrespective of the intent of the film, none of us probed the larger questions - how and why does the grand plan of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to set up 660 rape crisis centres in the country, today lie in shambles or how the Finance Minister while grandly announcing an allocation of 1000 crore to the Nirbhaya fund made absolutely no mention of how the previous funds were utilized.
The absolutely misogynist statements of Sakshi Maharaj, Giriraj Singh and a several others probes me to think – Should the PM now focus on a ‘Swachh Cabinet?’
The PM unfortunately has time and again proven that he is one pandering to its support base – the Sangh Parivaar which structured his election campaign and put him where he is now. What else can justify his lack of condemnation of the Parivaar’s aggressive campaigns?
However, having said that his comment against Ghar Wapsi, although, too little and too late and the decision to have a lady Officer lead on Republic day seem to be well initiated. Unless, the Prime Minister breaks his silence and recognizes the minorities very little can be expected from the current scenario.
-Shreya Mohapatra