By Roshmi Goswami
As we mark a decade of the horrific and tragic Nirbhaya incident of December 2012 several events race through the country providing a plethora of reflec- tive points for a feminist revisiting of democracy, leadership and humanity.
Amidst the cacophony of the Gujarat elections victory bugles one trumpeting of victory that is especially jarring and anathema to gender justice is that of a leader of the ruling party. This man was involved in the decision to release the rapists and murderers in the Bilkis Bano case and had described them as “Sanskari Brahmins”. An ascription given to a gang of rapists and killers in- vestigated thoroughly and convicted by the State machinery who apart from other acts of bestiality had killed Bilkis’ three year old child with ultimate bar- barity. Yet he was voted back to power and women voted for him in large numbers! If Nirbhaya brought citizens of the country together regardless of caste, creed, gender or religious divides what has followed in the decade since are glaring instances of miscarriage of justice, polarisation and a nau- seating support for crimes if the perpetrator is one of your political tribe. A clear indication of the fast paced moral and ethical degradation and rot that is setting in and a potentially dangerous for all culture of impunity. Already since the fete ing of the Bilkis Bano gang rapists there does seem to be an expo- nential increase in the free for all incidents of gang rapes. The rule of Law appears to be a hurdle easily managed if you happen to be on the right side of the political divide. In addition since 2012 then not only has misogyny and brutal violence against women not abated but what is worse is that misogyny in today’s India has got institutionalised. Violence against women has be- come disturbingly communalised and gender justice yet another vote catch- ing political dance item.
On a lighter vein a discerning mind can pick out that the pantomimed display of political power these days provide the kind of slapstick entertainment that children revel in and what is on abundant offer in the various street corner revelry and entertainment that are organised in different parts of the globe during this festive season. The meticulously choreographed Tarzan voice booms, chest thumps, swagger, tree trapeze with a couple of exotic cats, exotic tribal headgears, pronounced markers of religiosity and piety thrown in for good measure and props, are all the stuff that appear to define leadership for many. Mercifully though ( for those paying attention)with the daily pro- gression of the Bharat Jodo Yatra this well packaged brand seems to be also leaving many others unimpressed or at least forcing a revisiting of the TINA ( there is no alternative) position. TINA as we know today is the result of a massive, lavishly funded and constantly oiled industry to create and keep alive a particular narrative. It is all about optics sans thought – technically de- signed to cater to the easily euphoric electronic, technocratic, event and glamour obsessed social media generation and increasingly comfortable cerebrally slothful middle class. But the greatest achievement of the BJY has been to puncture that narrative as pointed out by Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj Abhiyan in a recent visit to Guwahati to pay respect to the five anti CAA mar- tyrs in Assam. Since the advent of the Yatra many non partisan observers and participants of the BJY have similarly commented or grudgingly begin- ning to acknowledge this subtle shift. Rahul Gandhi embarked on this mo- mentous yatra resolutely and buoyantly, undeterred and unfettered by the jeering, leering and sneering of the usual cheerleaders of the ‘Durbar’. Jeers and leers shakily driven by the unsettling ‘what if question’ no doubt but more clearly directly proportional to the ambitions, future aspirations and deep insecurities of the cheerers. Initially the sceptical media presented their practical concerns and analysis, the incisive political pandits theirs, the Godi media their sanctioned templates, the indifferent affluent their coffee table/ beer bar/ golf break chatter and so on but he strode on. And as he traverses the length of the country something breaks and something emerges on a dai- ly basis like the waves of the ocean, and a counter narrative is being created slowly, gently, unobtrusively, but firmly and expansively.
What has also been particularly interesting is that this traversing did not necessarily include poll bound states. Experts and critics were almost affront- ed that a state as important as Gujarat was left out. The post poll discussions bear that out. But how important really is Gujarat? Today Gujarat seems to be a country unto itself enjoying a special status and much more. Even with a limited knowledge of history one can draw parallels between the strategies and operations of the British East India Company and the emerging West In- dia Company of today led and headquartered thereabouts. Same principles same core values. The electorate would certainly stay with those who guard and guarantee that privileged status. With ‘profit’ as the organising principle of life and existence no amount of attention would have made any dent. Mul- tiple questions arise at this juncture. Is this organising principle so hardened and so compelling that it surpasses all other considerations and principles?
And in due course would one as Bob Dylan commented in a recent interview – need a solar X-ray detector to just to find somebody’s heart or just see if they still have one? Was the heartbreaking story of the freezing to death of a family of four at the Canadian border in January this year because of a mo- mentary decision in an aspiration for greater material prosperity or did the power of the organising principle spur them on? Sadly we will never know – we can only keep speculating.The fact that Rahul’s BJY commitment did not get derailed by any electoral considerations is hugely reassuring and reaf-firms the belief that the country will ride this storm. Undoubtedly winning elec- tions is important and yet despite the fact that Indian democracy today has gradually been reduced to numbers at whatever cost( horse trading, resort enriching telenovelas) there is hope – that somewhere beyond the grandiose aspiring for the heavens granite and mortar projections of soulless national- ism there are delicate stirrings, a ’lehar si taaza hawa’ – that democracy will yet survive.
Closer home this stirring, this whiff of fresh air is palpable in the approach and ethos of the newly formed platform KAM Meghalaya – the workers party. Jux- taposed against the might and lure of the material resource strapped domi- nant politics the entry of the three candidates from the KAM Meghalaya plat- form into the electoral fray is a small but deeply significant challenge to the idea of politics in the state and to democracy itself. Armed with their proven track record of tenacious public defence of the rights of all citizens irrespec- tive of class or identity coupled with their commitment to justice, inclusivity, syncretic culture of coexistence, pluralism and secular values the trio seek to bring back dignity, respect and a sense of what it means to be a citizen in a democracy. Their dissection and analysis of the ‘development mantra’ is what we need to pay close attention to before it is too late. Their strong and foundational belief that to ensure the vibrancy of a democracy is to constantly make space and room for ongoing dialogue and exchange of diverse and dissenting viewpoints and to necessarily anchor peoples movements as the cornerstone in this quest for democracy. What is also of particular interest to a feminist like me is that the trio of which two are women have an unequivo- cal feminist lens. The two women epitomise women’s genuine leadership and agency capable of leading with confidence and grace backed by the strength of their years of work and commitment. They debunk the prevalent trend of ‘transactional representation’ which so many women big and small have suc- cumbed/succumbing to and send out a strong message that there is room yet for an independent articulation of ideas and positions in India’s democratic system without being backed by heavyweight essentially patriarchal political patronage. Amidst the gloom and doom of today this then gives rise to a bub- bling excitement of hope – the emergence of myriad possibilities but centrally of joy as the dream of palpable humanity and quiet dignity edging out granite and mortar crassness and sky aspiring heights is perhaps no longer just a dream.