Online edition of India’s National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
On the threshold of ‘social democracy’
KUMARI MAYAWATI
| When an eagle takes flight, it has to fly against the wind and not with it |
Kumari Mayawati.
India is a country of more than a billion people. Hence, the world’s largest democracy is getting set to celebrate its 60th year of political Independence. The people of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous and politically mighty State, however, have a different reason to rejoice in the year of 2007.
The rise of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or the Majority People’s Party to power after the March-May election to the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly is clearly a great phenomenon for ushering in an era of ‘Social Democracy.’ Truly, the U.P. Assembly election-2007 results have created strong undercurrents and a wave in Indian politics. Think of it as a positive and progressive sign as the Shashan Mantra of “Sarwajan Hitai, Sarwaja n Sukhai” (Progress and Prosperity For All) is under way.
Moreover, I would not like to speak about the BSP’s superb electoral victory merely in terms of politics, as people say: “Whoever gets to lord over the Legislative Assembly [of Uttar Pradesh] will have a bearing on who rules at the Centre.” True, the road to Parliament passes through Uttar Pradesh. It is also true that Uttar Pradesh has been dominating the Indian political scene right from Independence. But the bitter fact is that the majority of the people of this Hindi heartland State of U.P. remain in misery and abject poverty and are socially downtrodden. Naturally, people have remained grossly disenchanted and disillusioned with the Congress-like politics and Manuvadi-type of politicians. The BJP too was never different in the eyes of the people.
It is a known fact that victory by majority has been elusive for any so-called high and mighty political party for the past 16 years in Uttar Pradesh for one reason or another. In such circumstances and given the heightened public outcry for good governance, a grand electoral success by the BSP against all odds in the crucial Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh was unprecedented. Social scientists termed this success of the BSP ‘social engineering’ and my political strategy. However, in broader terms, it was a surgical social strike, through political and electoral moves with the best of intentions. This was an uphill and risky task as our country is so orthodox, so archaic in its thoughts and its social structure that very few could even attempt to think of it.
We all know that after Independence the rulers were at liberty to reform our social system — which is so full of inequities, so full of inequalities, discriminations, and of other things, which conflicts with our fundamental rights. But they lacked a strong political will.
To be fair, we all know that an honest, committed, and well-intentioned attempt to serve the greater cause of ‘Social Transformation and Economic Equality’ among its people had never been a fair and honest play in Indian political governance. Disenchantment was thus inevitable. Moreover, social acrimony and caste hatred perpetuated by the Manuvadi politicians guided by vested political and electoral interests played a negative, rather a devastating role in eroding the credibility of a party in a democratic system despite knowing fully well that the failure of parliamentary democracy would result in rebellion, anarchy, and communalism.
In such an atmosphere, we tried our best with solid groundwork. First we united those who have been oppressed, depressed, and exploited. And then tried to bring closer those who have been poles apart under the obnoxious caste system, propounded by a man called Manu and perpetuated by vested interests of Manuvadis who were out to destroy the real democratic system at the grassroots level.
Social harmony, solidarity, and cohesiveness are the trump cards of success of a society and the country. The Bahujan Samaj, as a victim of religious dogmatism, caste hatred, and gross social discrimination, is serious about weeding out this cruel phenomenon in the larger national interest. Thus my message is that we, the BSP people, are the real well-wishers of the oppressed, exploited people and also the poor among the upper castes of society; and that our policies and programmes go beyond the narrow boundaries of caste, class, and creed. My action was a kind of satyagrah and guided by the philosophy of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar that “Whichever action brings the people together is the right action … and insiste nce on such action is satyagrah… Satyagrah is thus bringing people together.”
Here, I can stress that politics should not be the be-all and end-all of the country’s life. After achieving success in our laboratory, in the State of Uttar Pradesh, we are trying to study diligently the real problem faced by the people in States other than U.P. encompassing political, social, religious, and economic aspects, and then fighting it with our own dedicated way for bringing salvation to the downtrodden. We thus started acting solidly on our political philosophy of “Sarwajan Hitai. Sarwajan Sukhai.” To translate the dictum into reality, we are pursuing the case of the poor belonging to the upper castes by advocating reservation for them as well.
People are free to say anything about my move but the fact is that we, the BSP people, are Ambedkarite and hardcore nationalists. The notion that Dalits always adopt a nationalist attitude is beyond any doubt. We are aware that when an eagle takes flight, it has to fly against the wind and not with it. The Dalit situation is similar and they have to progress the same way, mark my submission.
A LINE-UP: The Bahujan Samaj Party is guided by Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s dictum: “Whichever action brings the people together is the right action.”
In this course many people may have funny notions about gratefulness, but I would like to quote an Irish philosopher who said: “No man can be grateful at the cost of his honour. No woman can be grateful at the cost of her chastity. And no nation can be grateful at the cost of its liberty.”
Perhaps I have made my point that the larger interest of the Bahujan Samaj is above everything for me and my firm belief is that a “Samta-Mulak Samaj” (a society based on equality — politically, socially, and economically) can be established when there will be “proportionate empowerment.” In the meantime, I would like to reiterate that self-respect of each and every section of society should be honoured as it is more important than material gains. Our struggle is for self-respect, not for economic progress alone — for a man it is his birthright to lead an honourable life. A country that fails to protect the self-respect of its people is bound to go down in the dumps.
Coming to another hard and harsh reality of basic differences, particularly on the economic front, between the BSP — the emerging national political power — and the rest of the political parties, I would like to summarise it in one paragraph. India is becoming a roaring capitalist success story and the number of capitalists is increasing every day while the BSP is for the growth in the capital of the country, not in the number of capitalists. This tells the whole tale of our economic philosophy and scheme of things on which we are working under the concept of “Sarwajan Hitai, Sarwajan Sukhai,” which is the crying need of the day.
Pure administration
A change of outlook and a purity of administration are very important for the welfare of the people because the people are more concerned with how the law is administered and not how the law was made. I am making efforts in this direction, too, although the task is arduous and demands sustained efforts at different levels.
Blaming politicians for every kind of malaise in the administration was a fashion and there was a chorus from all around for giving a free hand to bureaucrats in running the administration. I have taken the lead and given them a free hand to run the administration.
Today, bureaucrats can take decisions and act as per the demand of the situation, something they were not used to doing in the past. A strenuous effort is on to take the State out of ‘Jungle Raj’; and rid it of injustice, crime, terror, and corruption; and to help people feel comfortable and tension-free. The elimination of the dreaded dacoit Dadua is a pointer.
There is now a chance for every section of society to jump into the fray as the mantra of my government is that a good government is better than an efficient government and no administration can do any good unless its is sensitive. And no administration can be sensitive if it is manned by one community or caste alone.
Can Indian democracy restructure its pyramidal caste hierarchy? People in many parts of the country are eagerly asking this billion dollar question. But they had no satisfactory and logical answer so far. I can, however, most humbly and respectfully claim that at least the BSP, under my leadership, in Uttar Pradesh is making noteworthy efforts to answer this question of great national interest.
Social acrimony is subsiding and rural as well as urban Uttar Pradesh is feeling the impact of social harmony, which was unthinkable until a few months ago. Let us hope for the best and think about this initiative in the larger national interest.
“Uttam Aur Khush-hal Pradesh” (Good & Prosperous State) is in the making in Uttar Pradesh — thanks to a new silent social revolution that is bringing about a change in people’s outlook, which will bring s miles to the faces of each and every section of society, thereby transforming the face of the country as a whole.
Kumari Mayawati, a former teacher, is Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and President of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Flood situation improves in UP
Lucknow: Flood situation in the eastern region improved further as rain stopped and no flood-related death was reported in the State in the past 24 hours. The toll in the rain related incidents was put at 179.
The situation in over 2300 villages, mainly in the eastern region which were either partially or fully affected by the floods, has started improving with water level in major rivers receding, officials here said.
About five lakh hectares of land in 22 districts had been inundated by flood waters, they said.
Army help
The Army had been assisting civil administration in the flood- affected Gorakhpur and Barabanki district while companies of the PAC had been pressed into service in Shravasti, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar, Maharajganj and Baharaich.
Water level in the Ghagra, the Rapti, the Ganga and other rivers is decreasing, official reports said. The Government has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 1.5 lakh each to those killed in flood-related incidents. PTI
Jail warden suspended
Muzaffarnagar: A district jail warden has been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty after unauthorised materials was found from the cell of an undertrial prisoner, police said today. Jail warden, Bal Mukund, was suspended while a case has been registered against the undertrial prisoner, they said.
Unauthorised items like electric fan, TV, mobile sim and a mobile charger where found from the cell of one Jitendra, a dismissed PAC Jawan who is facing murder charges, during a routine checking drive, they said.
18 IAS officers transferred
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday transferred 18 IAS officers, including two Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mayawati, and posted a PCS officer as special secretary to her, according to official sources here.
While Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Rohit Nandan has been transferred to the Department of Basic Education and Tourism in the same capacity, another Principal Secretary, Ashok Kumar, is shifted to the Medical Education and Handicap Welfare Department. – PTI
Congress weighing options towards Mayawati
Atiq Khan
| Awaiting guidance from Delhi, says Khurshid |
Congress apprehensive about redefining priorities
Demand for huge Central package irks Congress
LUCKNOW: After the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections, the Congress in Uttar Pradesh finds itself in a dilemma. There is a strong feeling in the party that its “appeasement” policy toward Chief Minister Mayawati may cost it dearly. Murmurings on this count have reportedly reached the Congress central leadership.
After Ms. Mayawati supported the United Progressive Alliance-Left candidates in the two elections the Congress is weighing the options for an approach toward the Chief Minister. In the current scenario in the State, the Congress is unable to define its stand — as that of an Opposition party or as an ally of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Salman Khurshid told The Hindu that “in the overall context it was too soon to predict the exact contours of the Congress’ relationship with Ms. Mayawati.” He, however, st ressed that the party was sensitive to the opinions from different parts of the State. “The Congress cannot shut its eyes toward these opinions, we are awaiting guidance from the Central leadership,” the State Congress chief said.
Change in attitude
Mr. Khurshid’s logic, as that of other Congressmen, stems from the contention that the BSP did not come to power with a landslide victory. “The BSP enjoys bare majority in the Vidhan Sabha,” he emphasised.
The change in the Congress attitude is attributed to the apprehension that if it does not redefine its priorities, it may reflect unfavourably on its performance in the Lok Sabha polls due to be held in 2009. The immediate task before it is to retain the nine seats the party won in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
Central package
The party has already found itself on a sticky wicket on many issues during Ms. Mayawati’s regime.
The Congress leadership’s ambivalent stand on the Ambedkar Stadium issue, the new agriculture policy with its emphasis on contract farming and the BSP Government’s move to refer the dowry case, allegedly involving a relative of Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh, to the CBI has not gone down well with the party cadres.
What is irking the Congressmen more is the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s demand for a Central package to the tune of Rs.80,000 crore, plus an additional Rs.2,200 crore for flood relief measures.
“Friendly ties”
As if wanting to score a political point over the Congress, the Government issued full-page advertisements in all the local and national dailies listing “the details” of the Rs.80,000-crore package. The same had been displayed on hoardings, installed at vantage points in the State capital.
Notwithstanding the UPA Government’s “friendly ties” with the Chief Minister, the Congress is ready to take on the BSP.
The All-India Congress Committee’s decision to field the tainted Vijay Singh from Farrukhabad in the Assembly by-elections on August 31 is being seen as a step in this direction.
An accused in the Brahmadutt Dwivedi murder case, Mr. Singh won the recent Assembly elections from Farrukhabad on a Samajwadi Party ticket.
However, he resigned from the Vidhan Sabha and the Samajwadi Party, and joined the BSP only to be thrown out of the party by Ms. Mayawati.
In what is emerging as a straight fight between the Congress and the BSP, Mr. Singh is pitted against the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anant Kumar alias Antu Mishra.