Lok Sabha election-2024 has established that caste and larger caste-based reservations are more important than all-round economic development or national interests; that corruption is a non-issue in politics; that dynasty is still relevant in democracy; that honesty in political life is irrelevant; that secularism cannot overcome the deep-rooted religious commitments, rather it has helped in consolidating minority votes into a very powerful vote-bank.

By R. Chandra Prakash

Lok Sabha election-2024 has turned out to be unique in more ways than one. After ten years of single party rule, once again people have given a mandate which has disproved many assumptions, expectations and even myths.

It has established that caste and larger caste-based reservations are more important than all-round economic development or national interests; that corruption is a non-issue in politics; that dynasty is still relevant in democracy; that honesty in political life is irrelevant; that secularism cannot overcome the deep-rooted religious commitments, rather it has helped in consolidating minority votes into a very powerful vote-bank.

In contrast, this election results have proved that Sanatana Dharma, which is supposed to be a massive majority religion of  India, is a caste-ridden  and  highly divided entity.

Finally, it has also proved that the political pundits and the entire media, which was very confidently predicting 2024 Lok Sabha results, is totally disconnected from ground reality in the country.

Deceptive Slogan

If one were to attribute any one factor for the above outcomes of the recent Lok Sabha elections, then it should be the slogan ‘Constitution is in Danger.’

The clarion call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking not less than 400 seats victory in 2024 elections was very mischievously and effectively converted by the ‘united’ Opposition parties  into ‘Constitution is in Danger’ as their main election slogan.

The voters seemed to have been convinced by the Opposition parties that Modi’s demand for a 400-plus majority is meant to take away the provisions of caste reservations, secularism from the Constitution and declare India as a Hindu Rashtra.  And by constantly alleging that Modi is anti-minority, these parties were also successful in consolidating Muslim votes in their favour.

Projecting themselves as a Saviour of Constitution,’ the Opposition assured to conduct a National Caste Survey and provide caste-based distribution of national income and wealth. Rahul Gandhi went ahead and stated that Congress will provide benefits on the criteria of ‘jiski jitni aabaadi, uski utni bhagidari.’ [As is the size of population, so will be the entitlement (in National wealth)].

Interestingly, the slogan is being continued to be used by Opposition parties even after election results, like during the oath-taking ceremony in the Parliament. Articles are being published, intellectuals are holding lectures and public discussions on strong belief that ‘Constitution is in Danger.’

Therefore, it will not be wrong to conclude that the election results were skewed by the overall effects of this diabolic slogan  ‘Constitution is in Danger.’

Inherent Limitations

One has to recollect that the circumstances prevailing during the framing of the Constitution were far from being favourable. The British were in a great hurry to leave the country and at any cost, the country had to be partitioned to ensure independence and Pakistan was created entirely on the religious ground.

Country was a conundrum of religious hatred and massacre. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s book Pakistan or The Partition of India very lucidly narrates the prevailing socio-political circumstances of country’s partition.  Departure of Gandhiji from the scene had cast an emotional shadow blackmailing every effort, including the Constitution making. 

A  dispassionate and scientific scrutiny of Constituent Assembly debates will substantiate how the existing circumstances adversely affected its making.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Burn the Constitution

It would be highly appropriate here to recall what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said in 1955. The context was the discussion on Fourth Amendment Bill, the date was 19th April 1955.  The dialogue goes as follows:                                                                                                                        

Dr. Anup Singh: Last time when you spoke, you said that you would burn the Constitution.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Do you want a reply to that? Now that my friend has given me the opportunity, I think I shall give the reason. The reason is this: We built a temple for God to come in and reside, but before God could be installed, if the Devil had taken possession of it, what else could we do except destroy the temple? We did not intend that it should be occupied by the Asuras. We wanted it to be occupied by Devas. That is the reason why I said I would rather like to burn it.

 [Source: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, The Man and the Message, A Commemorative Volume, Ed. Sudarshan Agarwal, Secretary, Rajya Sabha, Prentice Hall Pvt Ltd., New Delhi, 1991, page 22]                                       

 Above statement made within the first five years of its implementation, by the very person who is acclaimed as the Father of our Constitution, should give a correct perspective of the limitations in our Constitution.

The Most Amended Constitution in World

Interestingly our Constitution is declared to be the most amended Constitution in the world. So far, it has undergone 106 amendments, at an average of roughly twice a year.  Of these, 96 amendments were made before 2014.  That should clarify that our Constitution is not sacrosanct and has been and can be amended to provide for the contemporary political demands of the nation.

 Point to be noted is that the Congress, which is crying hoarse of Constitution being in danger, has the stigma of amending the Constitution most times. Further, former PM Rajiv Gandhi amended the Constitution just to nullify the Supreme Court judgement in Shah Bano case and to mollify the minority community. Congress has the ignominy of amending the Constitution during the Emergency period, when all the democratic institutions were shut down and all powers were vested with PM Indira Gandhi and her cabinet. It was during Emergency that the words Socialism and Secularism were inserted into the Preamble of the Constitution. These amendments changed the very essence and spirit of the Constitution, beyond the scope enshrined by the framers. Why is that during all these amendments by the Congress, our Constitution was ‘not’ in danger?

 Era of Vote Bank Politics

However, now a very strong minority vote bank has emerged in our democratic structure. The Congress, which has lost its all-India presence, is leading from the front in this regard. Muslim appeasement has become capital of the dynastic political parties and competition among them is intense to garner minority votes en-bloc. Certain political parties, claiming to be protectors of minority community interests, are adorning communal names and yet, claim to be secular.

Consequently, today  there is presence of a strong political undercurrent that the Constitution has failed to protect the heritage and culture of its majority community — the Hindus. Anand Ranganathan’s book Hindus in Hindu Rashtra (Eighth-Class Citizens and Victims of State- Sanctioned Apartheid) provides detailed narratives of how Hindus are being discriminated in Bharat by the successive governments. 

Most of the opposition political parties have now resorted to caste-based approach to garner Hindu votes. Caste is a strong demographic glue which weakens the unity amongst Hindus. This is yet another smart move to further divide Hindu community in the performance of their democratic rights.

Rajiv Malhotra and Vijaya Viswanathan in their book Varna Jati Caste: A Primer on Indian Social Structures have very succinctly explained what and how Varna and Jati were mischievously misinterpreted into divisive caste for the sake of political gain.

Newly adopted freebie culture by a few Opposition parties to gain political power has injected a new dimension to further weaken the Hindu community. But neither the ruling governments, political parties nor the judiciary is interested to stop this wanton disregard for the national interests or the spirit of Democracy.

Now some academicians are even looking forward to the North-South divide based on socio-political differences they derive from the recent Lok Sabha election results.

Bharat’s Dilemma

Bharat is once again confronted with a dilemma forced upon her by the recent Lok Sabha election results. Modi has to work under the coalition compulsions during his third term. But it was during his third term that he wanted to carry out necessary fine-tuning of the laws which have been anti-Hindu and pro-minority appeasement causing huge damage to the cultural heritage of Sanatana Dharma. There was also an urgent need for extensive judicial reforms. All these needed a clear majority in both the Houses of the Parliament, which he does not have today.

Secularism and  western world

Very interestingly, it is intriguing that it is not only Bharat which is confronting the existential threat to its religious and cultural moorings. Entire western world  is also suffering similar situations. Large scale racial confrontation and conflict between the followers of Judaism, Christianity and the Islam.

 Review of INDIA’S  Constitution A Must

India’s Constitution has failed to protect the civilisational culture of the country. It has also been misused and abused only to further damage the country’s Sanatana Dharma, which in itself imbibes the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava.

True Secularism is intrinsic to Hinduism. Otherwise how does one account for the significant increase in the population of the minority community since Independence?  Therefore, the right slogan should be ‘Sanatana Dharma is in Danger’ and Not the Constitution.