Did India really won freedom in 1947?

Indian parliament has been divided by interest groups, narrow agenda that there has been rarely any agreement on basic issues that plague the nation. This ‘rare unanimity’ on women’s bill clearly is not for any egalitarian reason (we clearly don’t live in that age), it is an indication or shall we say realization of benefits. We are back to sixties when all spheres of society were dominated by certain section, some of them actively participated in freedom struggle but the benefits of ‘freedom’ never really trickled down, that were accrued by a very minor section. The socio-cultural elite were able to capitalize the political freedom. And instead of initiating revolutionary social policies they played safe and accentuated the divisions (lack of land reform is just an example), looked for short term benefits. The initial phase of the national building did see some astute leaders who took decisions on providing stability but they were found to be woefully incapable to take bold decision that brought in egalitarian changes in social sphere thus the benefits of freedom was denied or restricted to majority of people. Understand this Gandhi (we all acknowledge his greatness) wouldn’t have even fraction of his following during 30s and 40s if he was a dalit or a tribal, I guess that is the easiest fact. Western people need to look at the struggle of blacks in America that is the closest comparison here (in case they are following the events here. It is not as simple it looks)

The reason why the lower strata have been able to assert itself was realizations of gain through political consolidation of identities that were being accrued by elites for long. This awakening took many decades and education as also economic security did play a major role. The reason why caste politics did became vicious, as also loosing grounds by mainstream political parties.

The ‘rare unanimity’ among politicians in parliament is that attempt to regain the lost space by elite in the last few decades. We are back to sixties. The rise of market media and money power has seen to a situation that huge economic clout is needed to even contest elections. Will there ever be any ‘rare unanimity’ on electoral reforms?. I doubt it. Let us get this right there is a serious gender discrimination at the middle and in particular the lower end of the society but the lack of political representation is very much because majority of women in this country lack socio-economic freedom, this also because of lack of basic education which has to do with lopsided policies that catered to elite education (it is same as lack of basic medical facility for majority while the country has billions rupees spent on specialty hospital that is of course inaccessible to most in this country).

Clearly the benefits of women’s reservation will definitely be accrued by elite section in urban and rural India, not only because of lack of economic clout but even lacking basic skills required to comprehend the nuances of manipulative politics. Clearly a sincere and competent women panchayat leader will not have enough clout to compete.

Women’s bill is hardly about women, it is about insidious nature of politics that is being practiced in this nation. It is about political gain and mainstream political parties (as also parties run by family) clearly stand to gain. Why was there never ‘rare unanimity’ on land reforms?. Why never any ‘rare unanimity’ in last many decades to improve education system in particular in rural India? Why no ‘rare unanimity’ to reform police forces despite commissions and recommendations over the decades? . The list is long. When it comes to common people it seems they have only lip service. The thing about symbolic gesture is that symbols are created from ‘people among us’ and others are expected watch this happening.

Women’s bill in the present form is dangerous and anti constitutional, it accentuates elitism and therefore a very regressive step. It will take the nation back to sixties wherein a minority section has the means to represent majority. It’s like this: in last few year golf seem to have captured the imagination of elite section. It has absolutely nothing to do with lack or non lack of competence in this game or that majority of people even know about this game. It is about money, even to play this game require substantial amount of money. That means majority of people in this country won’t even be anywhere near this game. So the competition is among few thousand people in a nation of billion. And this minor section will now represent the pride of the country, clearly their good is never good enough (centuries of inbreeding has produced some amazingly incompetent people, good at manipulation though- the reason why in India everything gets manipulated for short term gains. It has become a tradition. Even the best of people after initial laurels get into the business of small time manipulation, it is about capitalizing on the gains rather than striving for being better. Indian democracy seems to be about manipulation and not representation. Market has only institutionalized these. I find these very amazing).

This blogger hopes that women’s bill in the present form never gets the approval. It is a long procedure and I hope they are only positioning for spoils. Women’s empowerment need to start at the grassroot level. It has to be bottom to top and not vice versa as has been practiced for decades (if not centuries) for the benefit of few . Otherwise it is going to be another joke played on common people.

It doesn’t need an Einstein to understand what brought Congress, BJP, Communists, family run political parties and market media together it clearly is not gender issues.