I am not going to draw a straightforward scorecard of the last five years- the gains and the losses; but I do want to say something which is a little more abstract, and which we do not talk about often enough when we assess the performance of the Indian democracy over the last five years.
I do think that the Indian democracy is not just in crisis, there is also a very deep diminishing hope at this juncture, compared to the previous five or ten years. The 2019 General elections hold a lot of significance. Many would rightly argue that this will be an election that is central to the survival of democracy. It is because if some balance of power is not restored, the Indian democracy will be in a deadly situation. But the paradox is that while it’s a very high-stakes election, it is also an election with very low expectations.
Our belief over the last ten to fifteen years, that India is on the verge of a structural transformation, or that India in a way, will reach a new stratosphere of growth and inclusion in job creation, are some of the expectations that we have been deeply disappointed about. So 2019 will be an election of high stakes but of very low expectations.
Now the question is, why? It is because there is something which is mutilating what one might grandiosely call the Democratic Soul. We are becoming a nation of resentful hearts, small minds, and constricted souls. In some sense, democracy should be an occasion of exuberance, lightness, freedom, gaiety, celebration; where, where one is heading is more important than where one comes from. Instead, our democracy is becoming a throwback to the past.
What Exactly Is The Status Of The Current Democracy?
I am going to ask you all a question – How many of you think you are a nationalist? Out of those of you who do think so, how many of you have a certificate that can prove to me that you are a nationalist. So the first thing that has been taken away from us in the last five years is our own nationalism. Rather than the presumption that we all are nationalists, this has become something to prove.
Now moving onto something else, which I am sure many of us care about- the truth. Have you ever experienced a moment before 2014 in India, where the purpose of production of knowledge was not the truth, but something far more insidious? It was to relieve you of the burden of thinking altogether. It’s not about falsehood, it’s not about mendacity, it’s about a structure of public discourse that relieves you of the burden of thinking. Don’t ask questions or else you will be called Anti-national.
Now let’s move on to the cornerstone of our democracy, the most exuberant thing that we call freedom. Let’s remind ourselves that there are still people in prison for serving marginalized communities. The cow vandalism or the act of free speaking became something very dangerous. Moreover, the civil liberties of people are greatly in distress.
Let’s move to the fourth pillar of democracy, the free press. In the last five years, the freedom of press has been in a more dangerous position than ever. The jingoistic journalists have spread their wings. TV debates have changed. A major section of the media has also become the mouthpiece of the government. If any journalist dares to question the government, he/she is scraped out, for instance, Punya Prasun Vajpayee. The media house which praises the current regime, maintains its position as a great friend.
If we draw up the scorecard of the last five years of the Modi government, I think the highlight of the last five years would be the mutilation of the Indian soul. They stand against every promise made by them to every citizen.
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