Parliamentary democracy under siege

If one would have thought that democracy is all about elections, nothing could be farther from truth. In 2019 general elections, Bhartiya Janata Party came through again to power with a resounding victory. People all over the country attested it with a thumping majority for the leadership provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The elections to lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha was a mammoth affair managed well by an independent body i.e. Election Commission of India.

But, is democracy only about elections at Centre, states or to upper house of parliament (Rajya Sabha) or state legislatures or panchayats? Or is it also about debates, discussions in all these legislative bodies?

                                                        The answer is a resounding No

Democracy thrives through elections, participation of elected members. But, also their responsibilities towards electorate whom they serve. Democracy thrives on people’s participation, their views, protests as well as subsequent actions and reactions. People movements and demands come through various shapes and forms. Mostly peaceful and democratic in nature to put pressure on the governing people. However, at times separatist movements in different parts of the country due to localized reasons, take up the arms against the idea of democracy itself! Which one has seen in Kashmir valley as well as parts of North East India.

But what has come as a shocker with a deep-seated strategy by women groups and a section of society since December 2019, is laying the fundamentals of parliamentary democracy to siege. It is not that similar agitations have not taken place during corruption, caste movements in the New Delhi capital region or elsewhere. However, this time a section of society (regressive culturally, economically and socially) is laying siege occupying roads, stopping commuters to travel in national capital.

Idea may seem simplistic and novel, but there are brains and ulterior motives at work. The same through slanderous and hateful speeches across the country, with careful planning resulted in Delhi riots. To get international eyeballs during President Trump’s visit a wave of destruction was unleashed.

It may seem that the protest is leaderless. Which is not true. There are groups inimical to the present dispensation at the Centre; driving and providing material, moral as well as all kinds of support to sustain it.

               Question is why this section of society feels marginalized to occupy roads?

The answer to this lies in how electorate in the country has overwhelming acquiesced in the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi since 2014. With laws and ordinances against Triple Talaq, removal of article 370 and Citizenship amendment act changes; a section of society felt belittled. The passage of verdict to build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has not been liked by them either. Unfortunately, their not so genuine grouse has been carried by vested political interests, first during Delhi elections and then during recent riots to put pressure on central government as well as parliamentary form of democracy. Protests seen at some selected universities have exacerbated that noise too.

The shrill cry of hitting the streets, egging people to congregate against a majority government has come with ulterior motives by people with leftist, radical ideologies. The central elections are far away in 2024, but a hideous agenda seems to be in works. The government occupied in reinvigorating the cycles of a not so well performing economy, has found itself strangulated a bit through such protests.

Common people have been inconvenienced and made to pay the price of living in national capital. Police as a tool to contain these protests have been found ineffective. Any attempt to remove the protesters blocking the roads, would also be seen as high-handedness by members of 4^th estate globally who are inimical to Indian Prime Minister’s presence since 2001!

With the budget session of Parliament on, hopefully elected representatives of people will discuss and articulate on laws inside parliament. Rather than making a section of people as scapegoats by hoarding them on streets and calling it a protest! Further, makings of places of Shaheen Bags in country, where women of a particular section are being managed through backdoor by not so suave political masters!

Democracy is not new to Bharat. In its present form based on a constitutional system where parliament is a mechanism to debate as well. Attempts to take everything to street in my way or highway, will derail the constitutional system setup by our elder’s post-independence. Hopefully saner heads will see through-it keeping Bharatvarsh’s civilizational interest in mind.