People's Democracy

 Wither Civil Society

 Sitaram Yechury

A Distinctive feature of a fascist agenda is the continuous confrontation that these forces enter into with every single authority and institution of parliamentary democracy. Standing totally opposed to the secular democratic republican character of India, the RSS and its affiliates doggedly seek the transformation of modern India into their conception of a rabidly intolerant fascistic "Hindu Rashtra.” In pursuance of this agenda, they seek first to manipulate the institutions of parliamentary democracy to suit their purpose. If this is not possible for some reason, then the effort would be to undermine the authority of the institution itself! In the process, the confrontation with such authorities and institutions becomes inevitable. 

This process has reached such a stage, currently, where the BJP and the other tentacles of the RSS octopus have come into confrontation with every single constitutional authority --- the Election Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, on occasions the judiciary, the Minorities Commission etc. Even the functioning of the parliament, itself, is stalled by those occupying the office of the government, when a debate appears to be injuring their political prospects.  We have seen this happen repeatedly in the last few sessions finally forcing the opposition to move a no confidence motion, so that the parliament and the country can at least debate, if not decide upon, the pressing problems facing the country and the people.

The process of manipulating the judiciary in order to deny natural justice to victims of a communal carnage on the one hand, and to protect and thereby encourage the perpetrators of such carnages, on the other, reached a  crescendo in Gujarat. The Best Bakery case, where the victims have urged for judicial intervention outside the state of Gujarat, advocated and steered by the NHRC and currently before the Supreme Court epitomises this process. 

On top of this has now come the demand by the relatives of the victims of the Godhra train carnage that the Nanavati commission of inquiry, probing the gruesome burning of the train, should be shifted outside the state as they had no faith in the impartiality of the Gujarat government. The State-sponsored communal genocide was all along justified by the RSS/BJP as a popular reaction to the Godhra outrage. The statements of the relatives of the Godhra victims nail this lie. Some of those who have lost their near and dear relatives have stated that they are not being allowed to independently depose before the commission. Instead, the BJP and the VHP are speaking on their behalf!

Clearly, the effort is not to unearth the truth but to influence the inquiry to give a report that serves as a justification for post-Godhra communal carnage. The relatives of the victims have even complained that they have not received any compensation that was so magnanimously announced earlier. In fact, all the tentacles of the RSS octopus have reportedly collected hundreds of crores of rupees in the name of rehabilitation of the Godhra victims. Where has all this money gone? This is yet another question being asked by the relatives of the Godhra victims. 

Needless to add, the RSS/BJP is in no hurry to investigate this query, leave alone handing it over to the CBI. On the contrary, another institution of modern Indian civil society, i.e., the Criminal Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is being manipulated to suit the agenda of the RSS/BJP. The same CBI which, in 1997, filed a chargesheet of criminal conspiracy to demolish the Babri Masjid on L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi --- in all, 49 leading lights of the saffron brigade --- rescinded from this position to drop the charges before the Rae Bareli court a few weeks ago. 

Apart from dropping charges to advance the RSS agenda, the CBI is also being roped in against the political opponents of the ruling party. We have seen this happen earlier as well when political rivals, even within the same party, on occasions, became victims of CBI investigations. This time around, as the elections draw close in the five states, the CBI has been pressed into action by the ruling BJP to create problems for its main opposition --- the Congress party. 

Amongst the political forces in India, the CPI(M) has had the singular distinction --- grudgingly accepted by its enemies as well --- of being an uncompromisingly crusader against corruption. On all issues where charges or allegations have been made regarding graft or criminal activities, the CPI(M) has maintained that the law must take its own course. In a civil society, no individual, however mighty, can be above the law. 

This principle must apply universally though. Letting the leaders of the ruling party get away with serious charges of corruption and going to the extent of protecting them, while pursuing charges against political opponents, is the surest indicator of the decay of civil society. This is precisely what is happening at the moment. 

The timing of the charges filed by the CBI against the Congress chief minister of Chhattisgarh smacks of a political agenda.  Ms Mayawati, till recently an ally of the BJP, is currently being put in the dock. These charges will have to be brought before the courts and their judgements must be awaited. The law must be allowed to take its own course and the guilty must be punished. 

The most disconcerting aspect, however, is the manner in which such institutions are manipulated to serve the political agenda of the ruling party.  We are witness to such manipulations and pressures being put on the educational institutions and bodies of historical inquiry and research. The efforts to communalise Indian education and rewrite Indian history are being undertaken to justify and thereby advance the fascistic transformation of secular democratic India into the RSS version of "Hindu Rashtra".

The coming elections to the five states have a crucial bearing for the future of India. Any victory for the communal forces will only embolden them further to work for the completion of their agenda, i.e., the destruction of the modern Indian civil society. This can be allowed only at the peril of India and its people.  For the sake of India, i.e., Bharat, these forces must not be allowed to disrupt India's advance to modernity and the destruction of its secular democratic republican character.