To Save Democracy: A Broader, Stronger, Secular Alliance Need of the Hour

The V Dem (Sweden-based institute that studies quality of governments) report’s observations about India, as reported in The Hindu newspaper, points out “Noting that almost all components of democracy were getting worse in more countries than they were getting better, the report singled out freedom of expression, clean elections, and freedom of association/civil society as the three worst affected components in autocratising countries.”

The report aptly summarises the ground reality in India. To cap it all, India is seeing the worst treatment of its minorities. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-Bharatiya Janata Party (RSS-BJP) combine has lately resorted to using Hindu festivals/congregations as yet another tool to intimidate the minorities. This was amply witnessed in the pattern of Ram Navami celebrations, the Holi celebrations and the Kumbh congregation.

This rising pattern of authoritarianism of the ruling dispensation from the past one decade was the major factor in the coming together of most of the opposition parties to form the INDIA bloc, despite many inner contradictions. The overall impact of the coalition, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and the social groups forming platforms, such as Eddulu Karnataka and Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, impacted the 2024 Lok Sabha results and the target set by BJP to cross 400 seats was quashed.

It is true that the progression of the INDIA bloc did not go in the desired direction of forming an ongoing platform for state elections. This was one of the reasons for the setback to the INDIA bloc partners in Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections. The added cause was the renewed attempt by all RSS affiliates to work for BJP. This is nothing new despite the statement by BJP president J.P. Nadda that his party does not need the help of RSS as it is now capable of winning on its own.

It seems the important need of the INDIA bloc to strengthen itself after the Lok Sabha elections has been ignored, with many alliance constituents declaring their aloofness from this, and the biggest opposition party, Congress, not having taken any major initiative.

It is worthwhile to note that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), the ideologically strong component of this alliance, is having second thoughts on the issue, as its acting general secretary Prakash Karat stated that “The opposition INDIA bloc was formed for the Lok Sabha elections and not state polls…” and called for a broader platform of secular opposition parties.  

Karat also said the alliance should be looked at with a broader perspective so that it would not be stifled solely by electoral politics. This is paraphrased by many Left leaning intellectuals, as saying that BJP was not exactly a fascist party. Like economist Prabhat Patnaik reasons that while “neoliberal capitalism generates a “fascist presence” – manifesting in right-wing authoritarian movements, xenophobia, ultra nationalism, and eroded democratic norms – it does not necessarily recreate the conditions for full-fledged “fascist states” like in the 1930s.”

While many terms have been used for the rising politics of Hindutva nationalism, neo fascism, proto fascism and fundamentalism, the point is that no political phenomenon repeats itself in the same way. Today, Hindutva nationalism has many features close to that of fascism, which was the initial inspiration for RSS founders, particularly M.S. Golwalkar, who in his, We or Our Nationhood, said, “To keep up the purity of the Race and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the country of the Semitic Races — the Jews. Race pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also shown how well-nigh impossible it is for Races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindusthan to learn and profit by.”

We, in India, are witnessing many traits of fascism, like the ‘golden past’, aspiration for Akhand Bharat, targeting minorities and presenting them as “enemies of the nation”, authoritarianism, promoting big business, stifling the freedom of expression and dominating the social thinking. Here we are witnessing the intolerance to freedom of expression as recently witnessed in the case of Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, saying that “…the RSS is poison. They are trying to destroy the soul of the country. We should be fearful about that because if the soul is lost, everything is lost.” Tushar Gandhi was asked to apologise and take back his words. He did neither, and is now facing death threats.

With the vast spread of RSS and hundreds of its organisations, thousands of its pracharaks (propagandists) and lakhs of its activists, it is threatening the ‘idea of India’ that emerged from the Freedom Movement.

The values of the freedom movement got expression in our Constitution, which is based on the equal right of all the citizens and is inclusive to the core. RSS has planted its ideology, which is opposed to the values of freedom movement and Indian Constitution, through its vastly growing network.

The Sangh initially created hatred for Muslims by abusing history, as witnessed currently in Maharashtra where demands for uprooting the tomb of Aurnagzeb is priority number one for the ruling BJP. Currently, it is also targeting the major leader of the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi, by propagating that he had no role in getting us freedom, with many social media posts going to the extent of saying that Gandhi “sabotaged” our freedom movement.

The list is long. What is to be done today? Karat is right that a broader secular platform has to be created. The INDIA coalition was precisely the first step in this journey. The need is to further strengthen this alliance. The rough edges in the coalition need to be smoothened and CPI(M), with over million members, can play a major role in boosting this alliance further, despite some contradictions among the coalition partners. For bigger reasons, small sacrifices by the constituents are mandatory.

To back this up, social groups also need to continue their great work in the wake of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which the National Secular Coalition can initiate. The exact characterisation of the present regime, fascist or having “elements of fascism”, or whatever, the strategy in India should be a broader platform, with more energy and dynamism, which we witnessed on the eve of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.   

The writer is a human rights activist, who taught at IIT Bombay. The views are personal.