Can’t Convince? – Then Confound the Issue

The ugly fracas at JNU has opened up a Pandora’s Box, and given all political parties an opportunity to play, what they excel at – dirty politics. Much to the disappointment of Armed Forces personnel, the fracas has pushed the emotive issue of the tragic demise of L/Nk Hanamanthappa and his nine comrades into the background. But, it didn’t stop the self-anointed arbiters of “patriotism” from brazenly exploiting his heroic struggle against death, to decry the “lack of patriotism” of rival political parties. Even that insufferable loudmouth, Arnab Goswami outdid himself by shamelessly using his name to shout down panelists on his “Noise-Hour” programme.

Anti-national slogans by the demonstrators have to be condemned unequivocally. The actual perpetrators must be identified, their antecedents made public and appropriate action taken against them; no question about it. All political parties have in fact demanded the same, quite unambiguously.  But, the blatant attempt of the Ruling party and its ideological fraternity to deliberately confound the issue, is most disturbing.

It is reprehensible that they have used the highly objectionable slogans of a small group as a pretext to question the patriotism of all students and faculty, and tar the entire institution. Foisting sedition charges on Kanhaiya Kumar, despite his not shouting even a single anti-national slogan in the videos, merely because he was decrying the HRD Minister and the Govt on various issues, is bound to boomerang. Its cadres are using abusive language and violence against those protesting ham-handed actions of the Mighty State, which smacks of unbridled authoritarianism.

The ploy of “giving the dog a bad name and shooting it” is not new. It has been used all through the ages to neutralize those deemed inimical by the Ruling Elite. It is not confined to absolute monarchies, dictators and fascist regimes alone. Even democracies have used it, though with more finesse. J Edgar Hoover’s crusade against commies, or the suppression of anti-VietNam war groups in USA, and our own excesses during the Emergency are some examples.

However, history also shows that none of those regimes survived for long and people, howsoever weak they might have been, have prevailed ultimately. Just as the trite saying “nothing succeeds like success,” it can also be said, “nothing backfires like excess.” 

There are several signs that the Ruling party is treading dangerously in that direction. It has brazenly foisted own people in FTII, Censor Board, Think-tanks, universities and bodies that decide on curricula and textbooks. It has not reined in its leaders from making highly inflammatory statements, and it has drowned out voices that sought to protest intolerance. It has stubbornly refused action against senior leaders facing serious corruption charges and has misused the office of Governors. In fact it is doing all those things that it had accused the Congress regimes of, and for which they were punished by the people. It would be a pity if the Ruling party were to meet the same fate.