SOUL OF OUR POLITY IS AUTHORITARIAN

We adopt all universally recognised motions of democracy. We have periodical elections to state assemblies and Parliament and elected representatives of the people “elect” chief ministers or Prime Minister. We have a written Constitution which swears by democracy. We follow its provisions in letter. But can we say we follow it in spirit?

The farce that is being witnessed in Andhra Pradesh in electing a successor for the late Dr Y S Rajasekara Reddy only confirms, if confirmation is needed, that we are yet to imbibe the true spirit of democracy notwithstanding the fact that we follow all the superficial features of democracy. Democracy has come to stay, we say; and indulge in self-flagellation comparing ourselves with our neighbours. But, what is the quality of our democracy?

For centuries we were ruled by kings or emperors. Indian tradition treats kings as incarnation of God. A king, benevolent or malevolent, is accepted without a question and what he says is law and his subjects have to obey. In fact, there were kings who, despite unquestioned powers, acted in accordance with the wishes of his people.
Now that we are the world’s largest democracy, atleast in the eyes of the world, has anything changed? “High Command” has replaced the kings in any political party and the credit, shall we say “dubious credit” goes to the Congress for setting this authoritarian trend right from the time of Mrs Indira Gandhi and it has, regretfully, caught up with other parties as well. Only the nomenclature has changed and the king or queen is now called “High Command”.

The state is witnessing an interesting scenario where leaders, who were either defeated by the people, or those who survive in politics because they are the “retainers” of the Nehru-Gandhi family, or those who can never win an election, vent their spleen for something which cannot be considered “democratic” by any standards.

In order not to leave a Constitutional vacuum soon after the death of Dr YSR, an arrangement was made by the High Command to usher in a leader who is not even a member of the Legislative Assembly. True, there was no legal bar. The Congress Legislature Party should either endorse his nomination or elect a leader of its choice. But look at the chorus of Congress leaders both at the Centre and in the State. They shamelessly say that the tradition in the Congress is that the High Command has to zero in on a person and he/she alone will be duly “elected” by the CLP. Do you call this democracy? May be, we can call it “authoritarian democracy” or “despotic democracy”!

Here was a chief minister who stood by the party like a rock and was instrumental in a way for the Congress to be in power at the Centre and the CLP is yet to meet to condole his death even after one month. What is the hitch in convening the CLP meet? There is a fear that the overwhelming majority of elected representatives may elect a new leader which may not be to the liking of the High Command.
That’s why a CWC member from the state says “party high command is the ultimate authority to decide on the state leadership issue”. Do we call this democratic tradition? Legislators are reduced to mere puppets who just have to nod their heads or raise their hands for whatever the direction of the High Command. This is what the kings used to demand from their courtiers. Is there any change under the so-called democratic dispensation?

Look at the audacity of an AICC member, who is at best a domestic help of the first family of the party, and made a political career by singing bhajans to the family, to say “Those who say they won on account of the late YSR should realise that YSR was made Chief Minister due to Mrs Gandhi”. The reality is the other way round. Both in 2004 and 2009, it was YSR who made Mrs Gandhi to wield real power behind the throne. Here was a chief minister who won on his own strength. It amounts to blasphemy to admit that and the credit has to be laid at the feet of the queen. This is another dimension of our unique democracy.

Do you know that in the olden days when any hint of dishonour to the king would be perceived a “Raja Droham” and a severe punishment would await those who committed it? Are you not reminded of it when you watch the reaction to the innocuous incident when a flexiboard poster of Sonia Gandhi was torn in Khammam? Though those who are accused of committing such a “heinous” crime say that their real target was former minister and pink chaddy activist Renuka Chaudhury who happened to be in the camp of “defeated loyalists”, an attempt is being made to paint “YSR loyalists” as the culprits and “Raja Drohi”. The incident is termed in choicest epithets like “ghastly”, “heinous”, “unpardonable”, “very serious” etc. Yes, tearing of a poster is “heinous” crime!

Therefore, the state Home Minister orders a probe into the Khammam incident, chief minister writes to the High Command apologising for the “heinous crime” and assures her of stern action, APCC chief has suspended some four persons, deemed to be partymen. We can only wish that the government machinery at the state level has shown the same seriousness in apprehending the terrorists of Mecca Masjid blasts and the twin blasts in Gokul chat bhandar and Lumbini park or preventing acid attacks on hapless women or increasing incidents of rape and murder.

The High Command also should realise that allowing this anarchy to continue in the state is going to cost the party dearly. If it is under the illusion that it is the brand image of the Nehru Gandhi family that has won them 33 seats giving a decisive advantage in the number game, as is claimed by sycophants, it may have to pay a heavy price in 2014. Those who are singing the praise of the High Command are not only rootless wonders, there are many in the party, of course, but they are born dissidents and they will be of no help to the party when the chips are down.
High Command’s prevarication in taking a timely decision is only going to deepen the crisis in the beleaguered party and make the TDP chief to relax. It should remember that the present chief minister has opted out of the electoral politics. It will be a little too much to expect him to deliver 30 odd MPs to the Lok Sabha in 2014?