The name of the game loses shine, as the winner gears up to take it all
The leaders of opposition parties preparing to enter the electoral arena have been shouting themselves hoarse about the absence of a ‘level playing field’, ‘tax terrorism’ and government agencies—under the control of the Centre—acting not as watchdogs, but well-trained blood-thirsty hounds of the hunt. The fear of contempt has stopped the critics of Prime Minister Modi from criticising the judiciary for failing to safeguard citizens’ rights and the Constitution of the country. However, the baffling administration of jurisprudence of bail has led to apprehension that this time the contest is also vitiated by a drought of neutral umpires and referees.
All these allegations aren’t entirely baseless. But, let’s not forget that the ‘players’ arrayed appear more like actors on the stage than sportspersons who live by the credo ‘let the better contestant win’ and try to get the better of the rivals abiding by rules and displaying team spirit. One was till recently expected to play for the side and the country. This brings to mind a stray line from a popular song from the late 1950s:
Multiplication
That’s the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same.
The times have changed and so have the games. Rules are made and changed as trial of strength and skill is underway. ‘Blame Game’ doesn’t have a season. The INDIA patchwork quilt continues to be a project under progress—a concept that was prematurely unveiled and easily derailed. The NDA-BJP combine has carried a strident campaign against ‘corrupt in high places’ that perhaps isn’t required at all. Well-funded and well-oiled, its election machine moves on like a juggernaut to trample all who dare to stand in its way. Truth be told, the number of suicidal dissenters has steadily dropped and they are practically invisible. Majority of defiant leaders in the Opposition have suddenly seen the cleansing light and become devotees with the frenzy of new converts. They have voted with their feet without waiting for the EVMs to express their preference.
Its curious that Narendra Bhai continues with the bashing of the entitled dynasts, corrupt and forever-conspiring traitors, prisoners of colonial mindset, slaves who need to be liberated by painful shock therapy, if other remedies fail. Well, by now we know that here is a physician who doesn’t believe in sugar-coated pills and loves the sharp scalpel more.
To any objective observer it should be clear that the BJP-NDA combine has no need to tamper with the playing field. Charisma of NaMo remains undiminished since his arrival in Lutyen’s and Nehru’s Delhi. He has repeatedly demonstrated that in the Hindi Heartland—where it matters most—he has his hand on the pulse of the people. Call it his gift for coining catchy phrases like ‘Double Engine ki Sarkar’, ‘Cooperative Federalism’ or ‘Modi ki Guarantee’, or striking the patriotic chord in millions of hearts beating in feeble, impoverished bodies and amplification of mesmerising messages by megaphone media owned almost totally by sympathetic and grateful supporters, the Opposition hasn’t been a match. In Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress has, for all practical purposes, conceded a walkover. Gujarat is home ground and you can count Uttarakhand, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh in the kitty bag.
The TV channels, that hardly any one watches, and the newspaper, that is glanced at largely by the advertisers, may prefix the adjective ‘Maha’ to lure eyeballs and ears deafened by cacophony, but elections have ceased to be a thrilling spectator sport. What seems to explain the vengeful vigour in BJP’s orchestrated campaign is a desire to vanquish all residual Opposition. It needs the punching bag called ‘Nehru-Gandhi clan’ only till it can discard—with popular support—the vestiges of humiliating foreign rule. No one—hungry or ill clad, socially discriminated and oppressed—is interested in the revision of history textbooks.
The wretched of the earth—not only in India but the world over—have known that silent revolution through ballots seldom change their lives. Even violent revolutions in the name of Marx or God tend to degenerate into autocratic tyrannies. The right to life and liberty, freedom of expression and equality before law are hollow words with fading echoes for those who live and die on footpaths under open sky, torrential rains or scorching sun.
When its leaders criticise the Prime Minister for showing disrespect to President Murmu by not standing up as she was presenting the Bharat Ratna to LK Advani, they forget the tantrum Brattish Rahul had thrown tearing an ordinance when mild-mannered and soft-spoken Manmohan Singh was the prime minister. He hasn’t gotten down from his high horse since. Other ‘First Families’ in J&K, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have learnt no lessons from history either. Choose the prefix you like—‘Sacred’ or ‘Secret’—the high-stake ‘Winner Takes All’ is about to begin.
Pushpesh Pant
Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
pushpeshpant@gmail.com