Serving the real sovereign
Following its thumping victory in Karnataka assembly elections, the INC is expected to learn lessons and practice the idea of ‘lokniti’ vis-à-vis ‘rajniti’
The people of Karnataka have given a clear mandate to the Indian National Congress to govern Karnataka, despite the divisive politics of the political parties based on caste lines, which is fundamentally contradictory to the Constitution of India and the basic principles of democracy. The politics perpetuated by the political parties indicates the fact that the political parties and their leaders do not have adequate capacity to address the issues of the people through the politics of development. Hence, they indulge in divisive politics and competitive populism to lure the people. There are two types of politics, as perceived by a saint scholar and a follower of Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave. One is ‘rajniti,’ the politics of power, and the other is ‘lokniti,’ which is the politics of the people. Our political parties and politicians are interested in the politics of power and not the politics of the people. To engage in the politics of the people, our politicians have to work closely with the people, move with the people, and follow the lives of ordinary people in this country. By pursuing the politics of the people, we can make our democracy a ‘dharmocracy’ in which every individual will feel that they are responsible citizens and they have more duties and responsibilities to perform while claiming their rights. After Independence, our politicians in the country led the lives of Zamindars or landlords. Having realised the mindset of politicians even at the dawn of Independence, the then Home Minister, Sardar Patel, lamented that “Every Indian should now forget that he is a Rajput, a Sikh, or a Jat. He must remember that he is an Indian and he has every right in his country but with certain duties.” Our political parties are pursuing their course of politics contradictory to the above lamentation. Keeping the people away from governance and development, politicians now behave as political entrepreneurs. As a result, they lead the lives of the corporates and enjoy the comforts of the rich.
At one level, opinion makers are making statements after seeing the election results, saying that Karnataka has shown the path to national politics, and it is the responsibility of the opposition parties to make use of it. But the reality is different. If the leaders of the Indian National Congress had learned the lessons, they would have shown maturity, sobriety, and integrity in expressing views on the positions, more specifically the Chief Minister’s post. Since our leaders have been trained and oriented in rajniti, enjoying power patronage and privileges, they have evinced a keen interest in attaining power. They are interested in state power and not the power of the people.
Scholars argue that the state is supreme and that the sovereignty of the state is supreme. However, many conveniently forget the fact that the sovereignty of the state is built upon the sovereignty of the people. Mahatma Gandhi made a statement, “In India, I have been trying to convince people that you are the sovereign and you are the masters who decide things in India. I have been doing this work for 21 years in this country. Yet, nobody pays serious attention to this concept.” He advocated for the workers of the constructive program to take this concept to the people and help them understand the power of citizenship. This concept is nothing but empowering the people.
However, in India, our politicians make the people all powerful and sovereign only on the day of voting. After the election, it is not the people who are in the minds of the politicians, but rather the corporations who will support them in reaching power. This is how politics is currently shaped in our country. One of the contenders for the Chief Minister’s post arrived in New Delhi on a private flight, which was continuously televised on various channels. What message does this send to the citizens? It implies that they have obtained the votes and now what they need is the support of the corporations to gain power. The corporations have already started playing a role in deciding not only the Chief Minister but also the ministers. To shape the ministry, those who are close to the centres of power will receive large sums, which are provided by the corporations.
A party headed by a person who aimed to liberate the country once travelled in a third-class compartment on Indian Railways, thereby making the Indian National Congress a party of the poor and the masses. However, now the same person, who is vying for the position of Chief Minister, travels in a private aircraft. The individuals who united the country advocated against creating divisions among the people based on caste or religion, in the interest of unity. Unfortunately, our politicians, both in the past and present, have caused havoc by indulging in low-level politics of caste and religion, thereby creating deep divisions among the masses. We are stuck with this kind of divisive and emotional politics. MLAs are categorised based on caste lines and grouped together, rather than being seen as members of the Legislative Assembly with larger responsibilities for the state and the country. These numbers are repeatedly portrayed as tradable commodities, without considering the principles of democracy or ‘Dharmocracy.’
The entire country is searching for lessons from the Karnataka elections to build upon and reshape Indian politics in the upcoming parliamentary election in 2024. However, the Indian National Congress faced a significant problem in selecting a Chief Minister, despite the clear mandate given by the people to the party.
The country needs more leaders who embrace lokniti. The type of crises the nation is facing requires a leader who prioritises the people and not just power. Rajniti cannot match the power of lokniti, as the ultimate supreme authority lies with the people who are sovereign. Despite all the strategies employed by the BJP during the election, the people have given a mandate to the Indian National Congress. Similar to signals our human body sends, election results provide indications, and it is the responsibility of political parties to learn and take action.
If anyone examines the survey reports published in newspapers, it becomes evident that the poor, Dalits, tribals, and minorities supported the Indian National Congress. A sensible leader who observes the voting patterns can find ample opportunities to practice lokniti and build the party by working with the people. Will the Indian National Congress learn anything from this election? It is the expectation of everyone that at least the Indian National Congress emerges as a vibrant opposition, fulfilling its role as a responsible opposition party.
By pursuing the politics of people, we can make our democracy a ‘dharmocracy’ in which every individual will feel that he/she is a responsible citizen and has duties and responsibilities to fulfil