On R-Day, hopes for harmony, peace

With the BJP’s single-party majority in Parliament, the first time an ideology-driven non-Congress party has assumed power at the Centre, the country has been placed on a political axis that is diametrically different from anything we have known since we became a republic. This is the most critical new factum in our public sphere that needs to be taken into account on our 66th Republic Day.

We are reminded of this on a frequent basis through the activities of various elements of the Sangh Parivar, though it is also evident that the Indian State continues to show its inherent characteristics of aspiring to deepen democracy. But the struggle is obvious, with a former RSS pracharak adorning the office of Prime Minister and being constrained to remain mute on transgressions of the democratic ethos by those of his ilk, even as he himself speaks ever more forcefully of “development”.

We can only know with time if this dualism is maintainable, whether the notion of development — which necessarily involves policy focusing on direct assault on poverty, wherever it may exist among any section of our people — can go hand in hand with incantations of faith-based and faith-related guerrilla warfare.

In his address to his fellow citizens on the eve of Republic Day, President Pranab Mukherjee made an indirect reference to this unfortunate phenomenon when he bemoaned the fact of political discourse plunging into “hysteria”, and religion producing conflict instead of unity, easily the most prominent contradiction on view today.

He stopped short of giving a call to confront this challenge through a concerted expression of national will, but the meaning of his words will not sound strange to any Indian in these times. It is up to the government to ensure social tranquillity that can form the backdrop of speeded-up efforts in the direction of attempting societal development alongside harmony in society.

The people played their part in electing a government with a majority for the first time in 30 years, and it is now up to the government to take that positive dimension forward, the President has reminded us. Here, in effect, is a commandment for the government.

The President said this year was one of hope, with economic indicators offering optimism of moving toward a high growth trajectory, but reminded us that enacting legislation without discussion in Parliament was a breach of the trust reposed by the people (in legislators and the government). Without a functioning legislature, there can be no government, he cautioned.

These are wise words that go to the heart of the matter. The parliamentary logjam is itself linked to the surfacing of the unholy mix of religion and politics, we must remind ourselves this Republic Day.

The people played their part in electing a government with a majority for the first time in 30 years, and it is now up to the government to take that positive dimension forward