By T.J.S. George
In a democracy, a working majority is better than a brute majority. This is especially so in a country like India where the structure of Democracy is honoured while the spirit is not. The effects of the brute majority enjoyed by the present government have been unhealthy as the actions and statements of its leaders frequently demonstrate. BJP leaders themselves must think where this is going to take the country, and indeed their party.
Consider, for example, an MLA going violent in Indore and justifying it as part of his duty to the party. Indore is the unchallenged power base of BJP stalwart Kailash Vijayavargiya. He is a man with an enviable record – Mayor of Indore, State legislator, who never lost an election, Cabinet Minister for 12 years. A strategist of considerable ability, he managed the party’s electoral victory in Haryana and is currently in-charge of the party’s affairs in turbulent West Bengal.
However, Kailash Vijayavargiya has the Congress habit of dynasticism. His son Akash not only became an MLA, but started doing things he had no right to. Last week, he was seen hitting two men with a cricket bat in a crowded locality. The occasion and the identity of the victims spoke volumes about the mentality of new gen BJP brass. The men on whom the cricket bat landed were municipal officers who were trying to clear encroachments in a part of the city. Apparently Akash Vijayavargiya wanted the encroachers to be left undisturbed. The reason he gave for the thrashing underlined the criminality of the action. “In the BJP,” he said, “we are taught aavedan, nivedan then danadan,” first request, then attack.
The man was arrested, and denied bail. But that was unlikely to have any impact on the Vijayavargiya view of the world. Journalists naturally asked father Kailash about son Akash and his cricket bat. The father responded not as a citizen or even as a clever party leader, but as a blinded father. Losing his cool, he turned on the reporter and asked: “Are you the judge?” To his credit, the reporter reminded the father of the visuals showing his son in action with the bat. The father’s response: “Who are you? You will pass judgment on an MLA?” So that’s it. If you are an MLA, you are above the law. That kind of thinking marks a dead end for democracy.
Actually, party thinking has gone to disturbing levels on activities that civilised countries would consider a blot on them. Lynching, for example. It is astonishing that the deliberate beating to death of victims by communally driven crowds has become a spectacle in 21st century India. Jharkhand witnessed the latest incident last week. As usual it happened before cameras and the world watched a defenceless victim being beaten by sticks as a crowd watched. He died a day later.
Even more disgraceful than the lynching was the report rushed to the media by a Special Investigation Team saying that the man died of “stress – induced cardiac arrest.” That only added to the public outrage. It turned out that 18 cases of lynching had taken place in Jharkhand alone since March 2016.
Unfortunately, the Prime Minister took note of it in a negative way and made assertions that only betrayed his partisanship. He was pained at the lynching and those responsible should get stringent punishment, Modi said. Then he added that BJP-ruled Jharkhand should not be singled out for attack and that violence in West Bengal and Kerala should also be treated on equal basis. He was insincere in the first statement, and wrong on the second.
No one has been punished in any case of lynching to date, not even those responsible for the 2015 Dadri lynching. 18 men were accused, then bailed out. Actually, Police later filed FIR charging the relatives of the lynch victim with cow slaughter.
It is callous to see all violence as same. BJP goons and Communist goons killing one another in Malabar, and BJP goons and Trinamool goons engaged in competitive killing in Bengal are different from a BJP crowd beating a lone victim to death by the roadside. That lynching should be condoned in the name of murderous politics is unworthy of the Prime Minister of a country like India. It’s our misfortune that much that is unworthy is passed on these days as worthy.
Honestly, it is our misfortune, to read such a crap article, and more so, supported by SOM. The author’s direct attack on PM is deplorable. I am wondering if there were such an article directed at Mamata when the WB state was undergoing tremendous violent pressure. Where was the author then? Perhaps in his own wonderland where he can beat up anyone he can – with words of course.
Lynching of Hindus, Muslims and Christians have been happening in India since pre_independence days. The only difference is the blind hatred agaists the hindu nationalist MODI Hatred has gone to extreme proportions that now only muslim deaths are called lynching and attributed to cow vigilantism!
George does not care about the Hindus massacred by clergy in Kerala or BJP workers murders in Bangalore! But if the victim is a Muslim, George and his anti modi brigade are all out with articles spewing venom!
It is this kind of hatred tgat people saw the truth and reelected modi
If Hindus were really intolerant georgecwoukd be a good candidate for skinning him alive for all the lies he has peddled so far in his column he is still alive and well proves beyond any doubt the truth in his article
Sad Politicians are developing Frankenstein , Monsters they will Destroy Society …. this will not End whole Society will be affected
Later it will be difficult to control these Elements ,Law and Order will be out of Hands ,it will have long Impact on Society
If not stopped at Stage will Ruin everything , innocent people will suffer , No one is above Law
it is become Trend to Elect criminals who try to Harass officials , Encourage anti social activities , creating Hatred ,…..
Defending by comparing will not resolve , No one is Above Law culprit must be punished .
we have to Build Healthy society Based on Equality , Trust & Respect.
# Stop Lynching
This is independent India and these lynchings are happening. At last,do not blame the British, these acts are purely Indian made! Father a powerful politician and son a MLA who knows his father ‘s powers which appear to be absolute, and him being a MLA thinks,he is untouchable. That is typical Indian style dynasty-derived power. Well, that happens in India today!!