In discussing the recent election results I find myself repeating much the most of hackneyed ideas used many times before.Such as the difference of orientation of the BJP-led alliance to elections from that of the Congress-led alliance. While the opposition parties like Congress derive their power from their legitimacy reflected in people’s mandate,BJP derives its legitimacy from power.Hence the desperate all-out effort to win the next election for as long as it takes until it can eliminate this very arduous obligation and convert the state after its own image.
If the parties belonging to the opposition today launch any welfare measure,it is a fulfillment of its election promise. BJP does so in order to create momentum for its continued election campaign.There is little connection between these benefits and policies of the party,which are relegated to a shadowy region of party propaganda.The deception in the official pronouncements of the party on policies is designed to pull the wool over the eyes of the masses.Thus through sustained deception and a smokescreen of lies the heavy costs and blistering injuries such scorching policies inflict on the people are turned into a hazy halo that recedes fartger the more the country advances towards it.
It is the withering reality of neo-liberal economics pushed by a state arming itself with ever increasing arbitrary power that looms ahead as the inevitable fate of the nation until the people awaken from their stupor and start resistance.The opposition,at least powerful elements in it, does not look squarely at this menace in the face.It shifts its position,looks away from the real source of trouble,conjures marginal effects as the real cause of the terrible drought in wages,jobs,and essential items of subsistence,mumbles and waffles.Since it knows the truth in its heart it does not sound very convincing and authentic.The people discern the falsity in the voice and miss the conviction that wins unwavering support.
The last Lok Sabha election came as the INDIA alliance spearheaded some sort of a nation-wide movement against a tyranny that thrived on lies,deception,divisive plots and hair-raising scams.Failing with these stock-in-trade tricks evil regime could always fall back upon naked state terror.But at that time the people were ready to confront that terror with dour courage.
At that time I had written that it was a life-and-death struggle and it would end only with the triumph of one side and conclusive defeat of the other.But the opposition for its own obscure reasons chose to shut its eyes to that reality and settled down to the shadow-boxing in Parliament.In stead of being part of a pulsating popular struggle it replaced it as an alternative, comfortably more legal,more verbal and more tokenistic.All its fusillades were brushed aside by the BJP-led alliance with a mere stolid dismissal.
The actual results of this retreat can be seen in the total rout of the opposition in Maharashtra from which the most heartening outcome of united opposition to fascist state and neo-liberal economics has been expected.As Indian Express has pointed out none of the parties in the opposition now can claim even 10% of the vote-share,so that the assembly there will not even have a Leader of the Opposition.
One suspects most parties in the opposition are not even aware of the reality of the threat posed by BJP/RSS to the nation or the people of India.The threat is not only to the Constitution which is only a paper document without a people to uphold and defend it.The threat is to the livelihood of the people and their rights which are the targets of neo-liberal economics and a Fascist politics.
The pathetic situation is starkly revealed in the way the opposition parties behave as soon as they scent the prospect of power.Long-standing alliances get splintered and unseemly wrangling for seats explode in public view as elections draw near.Internal factions and brawls, and the maneuvering of leaders for a larger piece of the cake discourage the people who had banked on them.It has happened in Assam allegedly with the blessings of so-called high command.If so,for that those in high command will need a most sincere soul-searching and some exercise in humility that is prepared to accept criticism as friendly counsel and not galling take-diwn.
The disillusioned people retreat from battle-lines and in some kind of a daze drift back into the camps of the ruling alliance led by Fascists.They fall back upon their diverse personal interests and turn their back on the empowering noble cause.
It must be realized by parties in the opposition that the present moment is NOT that of recovering the calm sparring of conventional democracy,but that of actually awakening the state from its current inertia into one that truly and solidly implementing the promise of the Constitution.
Hiren Gohain is a political commentator
