• P. Chidambram, M.P

I have asked people what is the one thing that concerns him or her most. Almost all respondents prefer to name not one thing but, usually, two or three. This is entirely understandable. How can a mother (and homemaker) name inflation as the one thing and not name her child’s security? How can an industrial worker name job security as the one thing and not name mob violence in his volatile neighborhood? How can a young couple name their parents’ approval as the one thing and not name fear of assault by the moral brigade?

The answers remind us of the multiple problems that affect the people of India. It is no justification that these problems have existed for many decades, if not centuries. My response to such callousness would be ‘if what existed hitherto will continue to exist and prevail, why did three generations struggle for freedom and for self-government?’

Multiple Models

During the last 250 years, there has been growing acceptance that government of the people, by the people and for the people is the most preferred way to ensure that a country climbs the ladder of development, economic prosperity, human rights, religious freedom, cultural advancement, equality, and fraternity. These goals challenge every society from the mono-ethnic (like Japan) to the most plural (like the US and India). I believe that the challenge can be met in only one way   having a government of united people, by unselfish people and for all people.

Countries have taken different paths. In the present world, China offers the model of one-party, hegemonic government; Russia offers a militaristic, expansionist model; Myanmar and several countries offer a military dictatorship model; Iran, Afghanistan and others offer a theocratic, religion-infused model; the United States offers a presidential model but with separation of powers and stringent checks and balances; and most countries of Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada follow the British model of a parliamentary democracy with an Executive accountable to Parliament every day.

India followed the British model. As the most plural and heterogenous country in the world, there was no better way to give representation to the people of many races, religions, castes, languages, history and culture, and customs. I believe the British model is still the best way.

The Oneness Project

The present rulers   the BJP, its allies and the BJP’s covert supporters   offer a diametrically opposite model: that the Indian people are one, and all differences must be subsumed under this oneness. They brush aside the argument that the thesis of oneness flies in the face of history and the lived experience of the last 75 years. The theory of oneness was extended to language, food, dress, social behaviour and even personal laws and customs.

So, it will be Hindi all the way, despite the fact, that there are many languages that are older than Hindi and with ancient grammar and a richer literature.

So, it will be a majority-dictated dress-code in schools and colleges and food in hostels. Majoritarian edicts will overrule the laws that permit inter-caste and inter-faith marrriages. The moral brigade will have a free licence to regulate social behaviour of young couples. A uniform civil code (UCC) will repeal the customs and personal laws of minorities and the tribal people.

Also, the drive for oneness is behind the move to make it mandatory to follow the Aadhaar Based Payment System alone to pay wages to MGNREGA workers. According to The Wire, data accessed on August 28, 2023, on the Scheme’s website showed that 11.72 crore workers will be eligible to receive wages out of a total of 14.34 crore enrolled active workers. Close to 20 per cent of the active workers will be deprived of wages. Remember, they are the poorest of the poor because they are unable to find any other work near the place of residence.

Another example is, oneness that deprives the poor of access to food under ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ (ONORC). There are an estimated 450 million internal migrants in the country of which about 54 million are inter-State migrants. Under ONORC, an Aadhaar-linked ration card is supposed to enable the card-holder to draw rations at any fair price shop in the country. According to IndiaSpend, government data showed that between 2019 and 2023, on average, there were only 1.4 million inter-state transactions annually. Why is the One Nation scheme not able to provide food to the over 50 million poor inter-state migrants? Because under ONORC, no ‘state’ is responsible and the ‘technology’ is not answerable.

Decisive Stage

Under the Oneness project, we are moving to a decisive stage. It will be ‘One Nation, One Poll.’ The Law Commission and other committees have pointed out that the idea requires at least five Constitutional Amendments, besides the huge political and administrative objections. Nevertheless, the government is accelerating the process with the appointment of a puppet committee. The goal is not one poll; the real goal is one pole   the BJP   around which the entire political system will be re-constructed. By combining national and state elections, the BJP hopes to win the Lok Sabka poll with a two-third majority and win enough states. That will pave the way for radical Constitutional changes which will sweep aside all obstacles to the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra. It is a bold gamble. Will the winner be Mr Modi or the people?

Courtesy: The Indian Express