Harsh Dev Singh
Whenever discussions are held on present day politics and politicians, I am reminded of a famous movie “Aaj ka MLA” starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead. The film epitomizes the modern politician in true colours. The portrayal of a modern political leader/MLA was so vivid and realistic that the film became an instant hit. Thereafter many other movies, serials and web series have been made on politics and politicians which very effectively describe our present day leadership including MLAs, MPs and Ministers in the true perspective. Rightly the people are fast losing faith in such an institution.
Politics has been picturized variedly and defined in multiple ways but the essence has always remained the same. A game of shocks and surprises. A play field of scoundrels. A dirty game. A hobby for clever characters who do not speak truth even by mistake. The conduct of public life for private advantage. The last resort of a ruffian and so on and so forth. The said interpretations of politics and politicians have become most befitting in the present era than ever before. Gone are the days when honesty, probity, morality, truth were the hallmarks for a successful political career. Once considered highest virtues they do not even show up anywhere near a today’s prospered politician. A successful MLA today is the one who is adept in the art of manipulation and manoeuvrability, who can speak lies with ease, who never means what he says and never says what he means. Rather than practising morality, he needs to be articulate in preaching morality. Truthfulness, consistency and honesty are no longer considered as virtues. They are rather construed as negative traits in the character of modern ‘neta’ who seeks to pursue a career in politics. And consequently such characters are fast becoming extinct from the present day political arena.
Politics today is the pursuit of public life for personal gains. Just as you need to study law or medicine to be a lawyer or physician, you need to study your-own interests to become a modern politician in this new political era. Inventive acronyms, deceptive adroitness, jugglery and hollow rhetoric are the mantras for success in today’s politics. The more morbid emotionalism and paroxysm you create by your platitudes and seductive slogans, the more successful will you be.
To reach the pinnacle of your career in political life you don’t have to endure the black board bungle of formal schooling. For politics does not require any educational qualification. It is the only profession in the country which offers lucrative livelihood to its practitioners without any educational paraphernalia in the form of degrees, diplomas etc.
Politics of today has transformed in its functioning, character and facade. Rather than people recommending him as a leader, the modern MLA today portrays himself as the ultimate. He could go to any extent to project his image and to present himself as the real messiah of the people especially of the poor and underprivileged. His political opponents can never match his competence and charisma. He is the idol politician while his adversary is the devil incarnate. He has coined a new grammar for political campaigns. He can attack his opponent left and right levelling the wildest of allegations and unsubstantiated muck raking against him without any qualms of conscience in a bid to score political brownie points. Such vitriolic attacks could extend to even mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, children and even to the ancestors of his political opponents. No bars, no red lines. Gone are the days of so-called political morality. Power is the ultimate goal and the arena is free for all with no rules in the game.
The politician can distort history, civics, geography, science and so on. And after he gets elected, his followers present his words as the gospel truth. He can’t be incorrect or dishonest. He has a battery of minions to vouch for his truthfulness and honesty. He often dishes out his own definitions of caste, religion, history as per his political expediency and convenience. The only condition is that he should be able to create mass hysteria by his rhetoric.
Hollow statements and statistical Jugglery are his watchwords. A successful MLA is the one who specializes in verbal gymnastics. Unrelenting harangues is the staple on which he feeds and thrives. He is the one who never speaks the truth even by mistake. He likes to keep the fire of controversies and contentious issues burning even after coming to power. For no other issue can be as effective for diverting the attention of the general masses and that of his electorates. After winning elections he is altogether a different individual. His mannerism, body language undergoes a complete metamorphosis. The humility and grace of yesterday gives way to arrogance and disdain. The pre-election servant of people often calling himself as “Sipahi” and “Chowkidar” becomes the all powerful and unquestionable despot who scripts the destiny of his erstwhile “Masters”. He takes pride in blatant and brazen displays of authoritarianism. He does not like to remember his pre-election slogans and conveniently forgets the promises which he made to the voters. The Election manifesto for him is a waste paper after elections. He does not even like to recall his promises and is averse to those who try to remind him of the same. “My way or the Highway” is the rule to be followed after his ascendance to power in the Jurisdiction in which he rules. No one can question his policies for the reprisals and consequences could be disastrous. The state machinery and administrative paraphernalia is often treated by a private limited company by him where the rule of whim prevails over rule of law.
The present day MLAs have surpassed all their mentors and predecessors in their mastery of modern politics. We have several J&K leaders who have proved their ‘talent’ in the quick grasp of this art and science of politics. And then there are those Jammu based leaders who once proclaimed to be champions of the Jammu cause but now have jettisoned their parties as well as their pious slogans for their personal expediencies and the yet un-reaped fruits of power. Hardly any qualms of conscience or principles whatsoever. Needless to mention that these are the very politicians who have been specializing in the art of changing colours like the chameleon. We know of grasshoppers. What we have in the new age as ‘netas’ are political hoppers. Jumping from one party to the other in their frantic pursuits for greener pastures. Hardly any qualms of conscience. And hardly any commitment for a political philosophy or principles. Changing sides with changing times. One party, 2nd party, third party, fourth party and so on and so forth. Likewise, the other “successful” politicians of the state particularly of Jammu region, who gave loud slogans of political morality, surpassed even their seniors in their mastery of modern politics, with all their solemn pledges having turned into somersaults with the passage of time and change of situation. And they chose to abandon their respective parties at the first available opportunity to embrace those who were earlier labelled by them as anti people and even anti-nationals. Having analysed the behaviour of modern politicians of the new era, we can therefore safely conclude that politics is now certainly the first, the second and also the last resort of a ruffian.
Of course. There are exceptions to this general rule. It is, however, for the people to differentiate and give the final verdict.
(The author is former Education Minister & Chairman Aam Aadmi Party J&K State Co-ordination Committee)
Follow our WhatsApp channel