Political Diary

New Delhi, 14 February 2015

New Grammar Of Politics…

OR RAJNITI OF CHAMCHAS

By Poonam I Kaushish

Political India witnesses interesting times. A toss-up of a new grammar of politics underscored by Aam Aadmi Kejriwal’s breathtaking landslide victory of netting 67 0f 70 Delhi Assembly seats. On the other, the old order of a corrupt and autocratic polity clinging to power highlighted by a new fad, constructing temples for their rajnitik deities.

Undoubtedly, Verdict 2015 is a watershed poll wherein the aam aadmi has shown his profound wisdom and maturity and voted for a new power paradigm on the wing of hope and trust. A story about a new India which promises to cross the Rubicon from being a pictogram of arrogant polity to becoming an embodiment of people’s power.

The issue is not why and how ‘David’ Kejriwal sphinx-like rose again and devoured ‘Goliath’ Modi as umpteen reams have dissected this, but the moot   point: Is political India undergoing a catharsis underscored by Kejriwal’s new brand of politics? Is he a talisman of a different and alternative style of politics without the arrogance of power? Of victory of Jan Shakti over State power! Of ridding the public weighed under the burden of sky-rocketing prices, bin makaan, bijli, paani and sadak.

Or will it politics continue to revel in the trademark grammar of our rhinoceros-skinned old warhorses who cling on to power and pelf highlighted by the lal batti cars culture, security paraphernalia, massive 5-acre bungalows, trappings of VVIP way of life, string of chamchaas et al.

Forget, this is history; today loyalty is weighed by worshipping the political undata.  From holding pujas, yagyas to now installing his or her idol. The latest in this farcical charade of chamchaagiri is Prime Minister Modi’s photographs alongside an icon of Bharat Mata in Gujarat’s Rajkot temple by his bhakts. No matter his strong objection and anguish as it went “against India's great tradition and culture.”

True, it is too early to say whether the 46 ex-IITian engineer-turned-income-tax officer, Magsaysay award winner, erstwhile protégée of Gandhian Anna Hazare and Delhi’s youngest Chief Minister’s second coming might change the political discourse but given his brigade of young volunteers and that 50% of voters comprise the 18-35 age bracket have rooted for him holds promise of winds of change sweeping the old political quicksand of power. A sweet revenge for the activist's fledgling Party post the Lok Sabha thramming and being branded as “an anarchist, naxalite” by Modi.

For starters Kejriwal is the first aam aadmi neta who dispensed with a caste-communal-religion brand which conotates rajniti at its crassest best and delved on core issues of the common man, high electricity bills, water shortage, lousy civic facilities, safety of women and rampant corruption at all levels.  Along-with AAP’s USP ability to connect with the grassroots and middle class. Perhaps, ably learnt from Modi whose victory was due to the striking a chord on the same factors.

Notably, Kejriwal has not only thrown the rulebook of Indian politics out of the window, (Politics is no rocket science) rewritten the way politics is done but also is setting a new political agenda which could become a tough act to follow. Successfully tapping and encashing into the new synergies erupting all over the country ---- youth, students, housewives, working class, social activists, etc disillusioned and cynical about the obstructionist attitude of the powers-that-be.

Moreover, as a chastened and hopefully wiser politician Kejriwal one hopes will continue to disregard the old rules of the game of you-scratch-my-back-and-I-yours and quid pro quos, carry on in his old refreshing vein. Already, it is making the political-bureaucratic spectrum nervous. Till yesterday dismissed a wildcard player, Chindi and chiller, a “non-actor or no factor”, today is their boss.

Yet trust the old political warlords and their chamchaas to continue in their erstwhile ways. It has paid rich monetary dividends in the past, rewarded them with prized anointments as advisors, OSD’s (officer on special duty) posting to Constitutional bodies etc and should continue to so.

A prime example: Southern Primma Donna AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha. Her Partymen not only worship her as their Goddess, prostrate before her, have built a temple and installed her idol but will brook no criticism of her. Not a few of her diehard followers have immolated themselves when she was jailed in the disproportionate assets case.

The latest to hit by the I-am-more-loyal-than-the-king syndrome is Rashtriya Janata Dal cheiftan Lalu Yadav whose followers plan to construct a temple for him.  

Remember, this chamchaagiri took root during Indira Gandhi tenure as Prime Minister who brooked no nonsense and opposition from her Minister and came to be known as the only man in her Cabinet, as also Congressmen. She used key henchmen to carry out her dictate. Those who dared to raise even a whimper were cut to size immediately.

Who can forget Congress President Dev Kant Baruah's famous observation: “Indira is India and India is Indira” during the 1976 dark Emergency days. The same year then UP Chief Minister ND Tewari carrying extra-Constitutional authority Sanjay Gandhi's slippers and making him slip then on at a function in Lucknow. .  

Followed by her Home Minister Zail Singh who proudly asserted, “I will gladly sweep the ground that Indiraji walks upon.” Predictably, he was rewarded by Indira anointing him India’s President. But matters didn’t end there. In 1982 as Rashtrapati, Zail Singh broke protocol by stepping forward to open her vehicle’s door.

Other examples etched in memory is of February 2010 when ex-Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe carried Congress Vice-President Rahul's shoes as he climbed a platform to garland Ambedkar's statue Ghatkopar district.

What others can do, UP’s Dalit ke beti Mayawati does better. No, I am not talking about her life-size statues crafted and installed at tax-payers expense but also getting her personal security officer to wipe dust off her shoes who defended himself, saying it was a “humanitarian” gesture. Sic.

Alas, the Party with a difference is no better. In Madhya Pradesh, the Industry Minister Pradesh Kailash Vijayvargia avowed, “I will follow the order and even sweep the floor of the Party office if the Party ask me to do so.” To last month when BJP new entrant and Delhi’s Chief Ministerial candidate  Kiran Bedi state, “BJP has got the world's most beautiful face with it, i.e. Narendra Modi and his leadership. After that we are just stars who are revolving around him.”

What next? There is no gainsaying that Parties can no longer afford to be complacent or traditional as the young voters do not connect with historical baggage, nor have the patience for inane diatribe or tu-tu-mein-mein and retinue of chamchaas.  What they demand is a better deal for their tomorrow, transparent and honest governance sans corruption.

The task is cumbersome and steep. Given that chamchaagiri courses through the veins of our decrepit netas who have corroded and vandalized the system to feather their own nest. But Delhi's aam voters have given India hope for 2015.

Ultimately power resides with the people. A shakti that makes a politician, not chamchaas who only help break them by puffing up their bloated-King-sized egoes. Our politicians need to learn from the old Chinese story, The Emperor with No Clothes: Else like a young child proclaimed, “The Emperor has nothing at all!” ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)