Basic facts abt the yatra(till 19th nov,2022 as per its official website)- days since launch- 73; total states to be covered- 12; states covered- 6; aim- to unite India; to come together and strengthen our nation; date of beginning- 7th September from Kanyakumari(Tamil Nadu); Duration- about 150 days; place of culmination- Jammu and Kashmir; distance to cover- nearly 3,500 Km.
V-Dem institute’s Democracy report and EIU’s Democracy Index latest findings point at the alarming decline in democratic ethos across the world. Against this backdrop, India was described as “Electoral Autocracy” and “Flawed democracy” in their respective reports.
The negatives highlighted by these reports include corruption, communal disharmony, media biasedness, weak opposition, over-centralization of power, non-responsive bureaucracy etc., So, nothing unexpected, is it?
So, what’s the fuss that Bharat Jodo Yatra(BJY) is creating to offer a silver bullet to such delinquencies plaguing our social, economic and political landscape? Let me save the suspense, it’s not going to change any of these by waving a magical wand or something else. But, it will offer some priceless entities which the country might need in due course.
RaGa Vs NaMo
Prima facie, the essence of this mobilization seems to be rebranding Rahul Gandhi(RaGa) as a mature, saintly and a popular politician, atleast as a potent competitor against the indomitable Narendra Modi(NaMo) for the top post for upcoming 2024 general elections.
Although he deserves due credit for the sheer acuity with which he handled personal and political tantrums alike which clearly indicates progress on his maturity scale yet saint-like figure is something unenviable for him at the moment.
However, recently in a youtuber Samdish bhatia’s informal interview carried during the yatra itself, he described himself undergoing a sort of “tapasya“(Austerity) by means of being “diligently” involved in the yatra.
Lastly, regarding his popularity, it is apparent that he’s quite popular as he’s already a sitting MP from Wayanad but several stellar gestures(eulogizing amidst rain, people hugging him comfortably despite a Z+ security) during the yatra suggest it’s rising at a significant pace.
However, to level himself with Modi or even outperform him, the public opinion needs to be favorably remoulded by bridging the negative perception between the masses and the Lutyen’s Delhi to which he’s always belonged “allegedly”.
His evolution from various pejorative monikers to Rahul Gandhi, an “average”(as his mother informally describes him) Indian is a hard sell, given his dynastic and privileged roots, but still, he deserves commendation for his sincere efforts in changing people opinion about himself regardless of the election results.
Party’s Overhauling
Recently concluded Congress Presidential elections were one of its kind, given the longstanding opacity in the intra-party democracy and decision-making across almost any party in our country. The results and the process itself garnered innumerable praises & criticisms at the same time.
But, as losing candidate of the election, MP Shashi Tharoor noted, “the Congress desperately warrants a change in its leadership and decision-making process”, given sub-par performances in recent state and general elections to stand a chance against BJP in next elections.
This event combined with the yatra will definitely help the party in reinvigorating its cadres across the country to counter the gargantuan election machinery of BJP. Undeniably it’s the BJP’s foot-soldiers or party workers having active connection with the grassroots across diverse socio-economic classes who make the BJP what it’s today with strong prospects for 3rd straight term despite surviving numerous troughs- indo-china conflict, COVID-19 handling, unemployment, inflation, etc.
So, it’s might be the most prudential outcome of the entire yatra- revival of the party in the hinterlands and urban areas alike.
Opposition Revival
The most quintessential outcome of a rejuvenated Congress party will be manifested in the efforts it can exert to assimilate opposition unity. It is an undeniable requirement of our multi-party political ecosystem to augment its negotiating capabilities with the ruling party, which commands absolute majority in the lower house.
For an extremely diverse country as ours, existence of multi-party and coalitions among them holds the potential to keep the govt accountable and keep arbitrariness to a minimum.
Social Capital Generation
Supreme Court in its recent verdict on Hate Speech issued directions to State Police(of UP and Uttarakhand) to take immediate suo motu action against hate speech, by lodging criminal cases without waiting for formal complaints.
This move has been well received by the citizenry, although coming a bit late, who had become fed up with majoritarian tirade impinging on the social fabric. The divisive juggernaut manifested itself in the multifarious appearances as caste-based violence, mob lynching, anti-minority beliefs, misinformation and disinformation campaigns, biasedness of media, communalization of politics, the list is endless.
The sense of frustration is palpable among the masses who have voiced their dissidence across numerous fora but their agitation was denied legitimacy for long. But, with the Yatra mobilizing people, on their own volition, to display their affection openly for their fellow citizens can emerge as powerful tool- Social Capital- to tame the communal Goliath.
Social capital is a web of mutually trusting and supportive relationships in a community. If relationships across households in a village or urban neighborhood are antagonistic and/or apathetic, no one comes forward to support others in need. Sharing resources, skills and human warmth are essential when the need arises, like during the pandemic.
Conclusion
It’ll be too naive and hyperbolic to assume that BJY will actually let people forget their longstanding stereotypes and become an informed citizenry overnight to overthrow their perverted govts. Neither RaGa nor congress can pull off such a gargantuan task- enlightenment of the masses. It must come from the people in a gradual but substantial manner. This time there’ll be no Mahatma Gandhi or any other idol to follow to realize the ideal of good governance.
Such a pity that in this globalized world, the value system creation still needs to be inculcated while almost all other tasks are outsourced!! Well here, RaGa’s idea of Tapasya is the only way to go about. People need to become self-reliant in inculcating robust value system premised on lifelong learning, tolerance and mutual cooperation without resorting to any kind of revolution.
For revolutions are mostly ruckus-oriented and aimed at substituting one set of maladministration with the other. As BR Ambedkar rightly remarked in one of his last speeches in CAD(Constituent Assembly debates)- We don’t need a revolution amidst a constitutional setup for it highlights the failure of democracy in delivering the constitutional goals. His statement seems partly right yet partly inadequate in the context of present circumstances. More still needs to be seen.
TL;DR- BJY will be remembered for providing congress several new opportunities in the form of-
*RaGa’s emergence as a popular leader(fitness for becoming PM),
*reinvigorate congress party at regional and national level to compete against BJP’s relentless election machinery,
*opposition unity and
generating goodwill and fraternity among the people of india.
P.S.- It’s my first post on YKA; apologies for the verbosity; Constructive criticisms invited.