If people are asked
‘what is the biggest threat to Indian democracy’, there may be diverse opinions
but if the same question is asked to the Prime Minister of India Hon.
Narendrabhai Modi, there will be only one direct response – ‘nepotism’ is the
biggest scourge to democracy. And he has reiterated it on several occasions in
the past. Unless we end the dynasticism in politics, he strongly proclaims, we
the citizens of India will not be able to enjoy the fruits of democracy as
envisaged by the father of the Indian Constitution Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar. It thus becomes pertinent to analyse this political stance.
Even before we could
realise, the regional political parties had started playing with the sentiments
of their respective vote-banks. These power-craving parasites established their
families with such vigour that it became difficult for the national parties to
make inroads. The Bharatiya Janata Party had been experiencing this
consistently over a while. And hence, it began analysing the modus operandi of
these parties. The BJP realised that under the pretext of ‘working for the
welfare of its vote-bank’, these parties in reality worked only to safeguard
the interests of the family or clan to whom the party belongs to. In doing so,
the members of the particular family or clan ensured that the consolidation of
power at all levels rested only with them. Two months ago, Prime Minister Modi
strongly came down against the rampant nepotism in politics. Even before that,
his stance against dynasty rule and its effect on democracy has always been
spelled out loud and clear.
In political
dynasticism, more than the country, society, and people, the interests of the
family, clan, and relatives are given preference. The focus of their activists
is always the family that owns the respective political party. They strongly
believe that without the virtue of the said family, they cannot even contest
elections. They go to an extent where they harp on the minds of the people that
only their party is the saviour of society. And thus, looking after the welfare
of the society is the hereditary monopoly of this family only. To fight this
nepotism, the Bharatiya Janata Party, under the abled leadership of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, is making strong inroads in these states. The BJP is on
a spree of protesting against all these family-operated political parties that
claim to be working as the regional party of the particular state. Naturally,
these regional parties began opposing this move. They began alleging that
Modi’s BJP is trying to oust them., They fail to realise that Modi’s attempt is
towards bringing an end to the nepotism that is flourishing under the guise of
the regional political parties. And by doing this, the Modi government is
ensuring that democracy is freed from the clutches of dynasticism.
As such, nepotism is
rampant across sections of society. We see it across professions – doctors look
forward to their kids taking up the medical profession so that their legacy
continues. Similarly, lawyers also want their children to study law and later
take up family practice ahead. We see this across businesses and professions.
However true this may be, still nepotism in politics is always underlined. The
reason is that no other professions, except politics, gets the chance to
establish power and rule over the people. While other professions work only in
their capacities, politics is one sector where being a part of the same family
is crucial to take the legacy ahead. This is the basic difference between
politics and the other sectors. It is the people who allow a family to exercise
complete control by using their political might, thus giving birth to
dynasticism which later becomes a threat to democracy.
In April 2019, during
a meeting at Latur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised all the parties who
have been thriving under the dynastic rule of Congress and the Nationalist
Congress Party and asked them to take lessons from Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb
Thackeray’s style of work. Lauding the efforts of the then Shiv Sena chief
Balasaheb Thackeray, Modi had said that not only did he create a special
position for the name ‘Thackeray’ in the minds of the people, but he had also
succeeded in creating a special position for the party without participating in
active politics and without taking up any position in the government. Instead,
he let the ordinary workers of his party take up important positions in the
government. Owing to this behaviour, the Thackeray family was never accused of
political nepotism. Recently, after Uddhav Thackeray stepped down from the
position of the chief minister, he reiterated the contributions made by his
predecessors in Maharashtra’s politics. I am sure that every learned citizen of
this state will feel proud and appreciate the fact that the Thackeray family
till Balasaheb had never exercised dynastic politics in Maharashtra.
“From now on, I am
handing over my ‘Bal’ to the people”, Prabodhankar Thackeray exclaimed on the
foundation day of Shiv Sena. All those present on the occasion had happily
accepted Balasaheb as their leader. Later, Balasaheb, without getting directly
involved in state politics, raised ordinary Shiv Sainiks to higher ranks in
government. Thus, his leadership was widely revered. On one occasion, Balasaheb
had similarly urged people to accept his son Uddhav and grandson Aaditya
Thackeray. And the people also responded positively to this urge. This was only
because people knew about Balasaheb’s vow of not craving for a position in the
government. People knew that the Thackeray family was unlike the other families
indulging in dynastic politics and that the Thackeray had also been criticising
such nepotism in Maharashtra’s politics. Unfortunately, Uddhav Thackeray took
over as the chief minister, gave his son a ministerial position, and joined the
alliance with those who have been exercising dynasty rule. This came as a jolt
to Maharashtra as it underlined nepotism in the three-party Aghadi government.
While there was Balasaheb Thackeray, who had categorically avoided being
involved in active politics but still who could control governments without
being in power and there was his son who couldn’t even control his party,
despite being in power.
Looking at the recent events that are unfolding in Maharashtra in the last two months, all those who are vying for power through dynasticism, seem to have been in a major shock. It is also evident that those who believe in the dynastic rule are not able to digest the fact that an ordinary party activist can become the chief minister of the state. The leaders of these parties are the ones who are complaining that the BJP is trying to eliminate the parties in the opposition. This move of the BJP is aimed at ending the monopoly of these power-craving families. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one of prime goal is to free the country from nepotism, which is the biggest threat to democracy. Every BJP worker is taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mission message. There is absolutely no doubt that if democracy is released from the clutches of dynasticism once and for all, even the common man will praise the efforts. And henceforth whenever dynasticism tries to establish its stronghold in our democratic set-up, there is no doubt that the BJP will continue to strike it down it in every possible manner.
(Article Pre-Published in Times of India, 01 August 2022)
Keshav
Upadhye, chief spokesperson
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