How Not to Remember Bapu - Some Thoughts on Gandhi Jayanti

There could be no greater insult to Mahatma Gandhi’s memory than the fact that the Government of India enforces a compulsory national holiday on 2nd October, his birthday. Among other valuable lessons, Bapu taught us that it is our dharmic duty to disobey bad laws. Therefore, every single year since Manushi was founded in 1978, we have kept the Manushi office open and functioning on Gandhi’s birthday, October 2, as a tribute to the memory of Bapu – the greatest karmayogi of our epoch. I even keep my own office at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies open and working on Gandhi Jayanti even though the rest of the institution is closed that day.

On this issue, I am willing to accept whatever punishment the Government wants to impose on me for violating this enforced holiday.

Gandhi once wrote: “I have a horror of all isms, especially those that attach themselves to proper names.""I have no doubt that of all isms, he hated "Tokenism" most. If the Government must indulge in tokenism on Gandhi Jayanti, it would be more appropriate if it encouraged government employees to spend that one day cleaning up their filthy offices and toilets with their own hands and observe a maun vrat (silent fast) on October 2. If those in power learnt to pay tribute to Gandhi’s life by simple gestures like inculcating respect for physical cleanliness and encouraging their employees to keep their tables, their office rooms, corridors and toilets clean and orderly, it might trigger off a transformation in their mindset. A person who spends long hours every day of his or her working life amidst the squalor, disorder and filth that have become the hallmarks of our sarkari offices is bound to have very low self-esteem. And people with low self-esteem easily become petty tyrants and extortionists.

It is unfortunate that very few in the Congress Party take Gandhi’s philosophy seriously enough to make it a guide for action in their political lives. Instead, it has become fashionable to cynically use his martyrdom as a sword to fight self-serving, partisan political battles with one’s opponents.

After Gandhi’s image had served their purpose, most Congressmen who took over the reins of power found his service, his philosophy, and his ideas altogether redundant and dispensable. Had Gandhi lived longer, he would have probably been prevented from playing a meaningful role in the nation’s affairs — just as he was pushed aside on the issue of Partition and the kind of Constitution India needed and deserved after gaining political Independence.

The conduct of the Congress Party had so begun to depress Bapu that he recommended it be disbanded as a political Party and its workers spread out to villages for rural reconstruction so as to give way to new political formations. Many of those who genuinely believed in Gandhi's vision actually opted out of electoral politics and set up institutions devoted to rural reconstruction and work for gram swaraj. But most such people were systematically marginalized by Congress Party leaders who assumed power as inheritors of the British Raj. Similarly causes dear to Gandhi’s heart, like the need for probity and transparency in public life, decolonizing of our education system as well as our machinery of governance suffered neglect after Independence. Most depressing of all, since Indira Gandhi’s days, the Congress party often resorted to the politics of engineering inter-community conflicts, including riots, to polarize communal vote banks in their favour. Consequently, the image of Congressmen took a nosedive in post-Independence India. In the heyday of the freedom movement, Indian films would depict a khadi-wearing person with a Gandhi cap on his head as a symbol of the spirit of freedom, a belief in swadeshi, a commitment to selflessly serving the poor and the deprived. However, in today’s Bollywood films, a person sporting these symbols is commonly depicted as a figure embodying hypocrisy, greed and corruption.

It is because his own Party stopped taking him seriously that most young people in India grow up thinking of Gandhi as a pious crank with very little relevance for the modern world. Even though many of the most important world leaders, statesmen and women who have played a creative ethical role in shaping world history – be it Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Vaclav Havel, Aung Sang Sun Kui or the Dalai Lama – draw inspiration from Gandhi or feel connected with his worldview, in our own country Gandhi is either worshipped in caricatured form or used as a meaningless icon.

The neglect of Gandhi’s ideas and philosophy is also evident from the fact that we do not have even one world-class institution in India doing solid research in Gandhi’s philosophy. Institutions built in Gandhi’s memory such as the Gandhi Peace Foundation were hounded and virtually destroyed by Indira Gandhi for having opposed the Emergency. Many others are dying from callous neglect, indifference or active hostility as happened with Gandhi Vidyapeeth in Kashi. Compare the facilities Gandhian institutions collectively offer with those named after Jawaharlal Nehru (such as the Nehru Memorial Library and Research Centre and Jawaharlal Nehru University or even Nehru Park in Delhi!) and you realize how little Gandhi matters for today’s Congressmen. Let the Congress Party do a rough and ready survey to find out how many young Congress members – municipal councillors, district chiefs, even the new generation of ministers – have ever seen, leave alone read a book on or by Gandhi and whether they believe his ideas have anything to offer them in their own battle for survival within the Congress Party.

Instead of taking pot shots at the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha for their role in the murder of Gandhi, the leaders of the Congress Party owe them a debt of gratitude, because had Gandhi stayed alive, he is likely to have led satyagraha after satyagraha against the Congress government’s policies in post-Independence India. The Pakistani ruling establishment could get away with jailing their Frontier Gandhi, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, for most of his life. However, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi could not have been subdued by such means. Therefore, his assassination turned out to be a timely favour to the Congress Party. By making him a martyr, Godse helped the Congress set him aside, put him up on stone pedestals, pay token tributes to his memory once or twice a year, and occasionally use his quotations in speeches delivered in international forums to try to convince the rest of the world that the Indian government occupies a high moral ground.Those of us who take Gandhi seriously should focus on imbibing in our own lives some of the basic principles that would show that we respect Gandhi’s message and methods:

Adopt, as far as we are capable of them, truth and non-violence as the guiding principles of all our actions and thoughts. This includes avoiding exaggeration, and refraining from overstating our case. Most important of all, we must refrain from demonizing our opponents.

Ensure that the gap between our practice and our precept is as narrow as possible. If we lead by example, rather than sermons, people will more readily forgive us our mistakes, especially if we have the humility and honesty to openly admit them rather than adopt an offensive or defensive strategy to cover up for our errors.

Build a politics around consensus as far as possible, and try to win over our opponents with sound reasoning, by grounding our politics on principles of fair play and justice, rather than trying to browbeat them into submission or silence by virulent attack.

Strengthen the culture of treating politics as a sacred mission, rather than as a means to acquire the power to manipulate and subjugate fellow citizens. Power should be perceived as a limited and sacred trust rather than a means for self-aggrandizement.

Weigh each issue on its own merit and come up with creative solutions to problems, rather than judging each issue through the prism of deadening ideologies, which become a substitute for creative ideas and promote servility of thought and emotion. The dead hand of ossified ideologies only creates stalemates and civil strife, which prevent India from moving along the path of progress and prosperity.

Work towards bridging the growing urban-rural, rich-poor divide as well as the new divide created by the dominance of English and the marginalization and neglect of all our regional languages.

Dismantle the existing colonial machinery of governance and build institutions that put real power in the hands of people to make governance accountable to citizens and transparent in its functioning. In short, steer our democracy towards “swaraj”.

Gandhi’s remained a seeker of “truth”, not in any abstract philosophical sense but in order to understand and be finely tuned to the needs and aspirations of his people with "Satya and Ahimsa" as his guiding lights. That is why his life and his message continue to inspire the best among politicians, thinkers, writers, artists, philanthropists and all those engaged in making our world more compassionate and just.

First Published in  Madhu Kishwar's Blog

Neither a Rambo Act Nor a Publicity Gimmick - Modi Led Relief Efforts in Uttarakhand

When Saturday evening T.V channels brought the news that Narendra Modi’s visit to Uttrakhand to oversee relief operations had kicked off a major political storm, I decided to go and check for myself whether this was indeed a cheap publicity gimmick as alleged by the Congress and its minions or a serious response to a humongous tragedy. During the course of my study of post 2002 Gujarat, I had heard glowing accounts of how Narendra Modi had handled the reconstruction of towns and villages affected by the Bhuj earthquake.  Even during the Surat floods, Modi combined efficient short term relief with long term measures to avert such tragedies. All that was in past tense. I wanted to see if the Disaster Management system was still in place.

Those who disparagingly called Modi a Rambo or a publicity hungry politician have no clue what they are dealing with. He is an institution builder par excellence and a statesman who believes in using state power to serve people and knows how to do it. This is proved by the fact that:

Gujarat today has a fighting fit bureaucracy because it was enabled to develop expertise, team spirit and deliver results under the most adverse circumstances. It is also empowered and encouraged to take on-the-spot decisions rather than wait to seek “permission” from “higher ups”. 

The Gujarat Disaster Management Authority (GDMA) has become a thoroughly professional institution capable of responding to natural or manmade disasters.  It has a 24x7 monitoring system and well publicized helpline numbers well known to Gujaratis—both in the country and abroad.

Modi has succeeded in conveying to the citizens of Gujarat that the Government is always there to serve them. That is why the first response of Gujaratis anywhere in the world is to contact the CM’s office if they are caught in a calamity. He himself acts with lightning speed, anticipating problems and finding advance solutions rather than be overwhelmed by them.

Modi’s deep personal knowledge of every region of India and contacts with an amazing range of people and institutions in almost every part of India, thanks to the years he spent as a pracharak are a big asset in responding creatively to sudden challenges.   

For example, Modi arrived in Delhi late 17^th night for a meeting with the Planning Commission on 18^th when news of cloudburst and landslides was telecast on TV. He held an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation since he knew that thousands of Gujaratis are likely to be among the Chardham pilgrims. Due to his close personal knowledge of Uttrakhand he anticipated it had the makings of a major tragedy. Right away, a camp office was opened at Gujarat Bhavan and the Resident Commissioner’s team in Delhi were made responsible for coordinating with Gujarati pilgrims.

On 18^th morning, Modi called Dr Pranav Pandya of the All World Gayatri Parivar to provide space and infrastructure in his Shanti Kunj campus for the relief centre proposed to be set up by the Gujarat Government. He chose this campus because of his close knowledge of and rapport with this Gandhian institution which can house and feed thousands of people at short notice. It has a 2000 strong community of dedicated swayam sevaks on the campus plus 3000 odd students of the Dev Sanskriti University who are also infused with the seva bhav that is the hallmark of Gayatri Pariwar. The 90 acre campus also has a well-run hospital. This institution for social service and national reconstruction was set up by Acharya Ram Sharma who took his inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi whose message of service is infused in every aspect of Gayatri Pariwar.

Modi’s personal rapport with Dr Pandya dates back to his pracharak days. Gayatri Pariwar had also joined hands with Gujarat Government during the reconstruction work in earthquake affected villages in Bhuj. Therefore, this was a tried and tested institution for Modi. Even on its own it was also providing food, blankets and other necessities to stranded pilgrims and local population through the air force helicopters.

One phone call to Dr Pandya on the 18th and by the same evening a set of computers with internet connection, along with telephone lines, T.V and all other paraphernalia required for Gujarat Government’s Relief Operation set up. Therefore, when a team of Gujarat Government IAS, IPS and IFS officers led by Principal Secretary and Relief Commissioner P.K Parmar came, they could get going within minutes of reaching Shanti Kunj. Their team included two officers who hail from Uttarakhand with close knowledge of the terrain to guide both the stranded pilgrims as well as rescue teams on the safest possible routes to take. Assistant Director General of Police Mr Bisht who hails from Uttarakhand went straight to Gupta Kashi from where the rescue operations are being launched. He has trekked to Kedarnath, Gaurikund and other places to track down trapped pilgrims. A team of seven doctors trained in handling such emergencies, led by an orthopaedic surgeon, not only put in place an efficient first aid service but were also attending to those severely injured. Here again the approach was pro-active. They went to other relief camps and railway stations to attend to non-Gujarati pilgrims as well. 

The mandate of Team Gujarat in Uttarakhand is: take good care of rescued pilgrims as they arrive. But once they are recovered, send them home at the earliest possible in the most comfortable manner. Don’t worry about expenditure or numbers.This is the standard approach of Gujarat government: 'Plan for all, not a set number. Be prepared to handle as many as need the services rather than turn away people for lack of resources.'

As always, officers on the ground have been empowered to take on the spot decisions, to decide how many luxury buses or taxis they need, how many pilgrims need to be sent by air and what kind of air craft to order. It is not as if the rich are being sent by air and the poor by buses. The decision is need based. 

Thus when Modi landed in Dehradun, Team Gujarat was already in control. Far from attacking the state government, he offered all possible help to CM Bahuguna. In addition, he synergized resources, energized BJP workers to get going, not just for immediate relief but also long term reconstruction work. All his officers were provided phone numbers of BJP functionaries of all 190 blocks in Uttrakhand and vice versa. As usual he worked 20 hours a day to guide and streamline the operations. The spirited enthusiasm of Gujarat govt staff and BJP workers had to be seen to be believed.

I saw senior IAS officers working 24x7 alongside very junior staff in one single room as a close knit team.

Similar help counters have been set up at the railway stations and airports in Gujarat to help people reach their homes safely.

Congress Party is understandably upset because the UPA government is not only scam ridden but also rudderless. Congress run state governments have proved either lackluster or disastrous as in Uttarakhand. Congress party machinery is in disarray, Congress Sewa Dal workers are nowhere in sight, Rahul’s Youth Brigade is clueless even in routine situations, leave alone know how to face a crisis like the Uttarakhand deluge.

Phobic responses to Modi and hate campaigns against him for doing the right thing make the Congress Party look ridiculous in its vulnerability and heightens its image of incompetence and venality.

An edited version of this article was published in The Economic Times on 26th June, 2013(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments-analysis/narendra-modi-led-rescue-efforts-in-uttarakhand-are-not-publicity-gimmicks/articleshow/20772558.cms?curpg=2)

Right of Livelihood of Bar Dancers Versus Right of Neighbourhoods

In 2005 when Mumbai’s Dance Bars were shut down, I gladly accepted the invitation of bar dancers’ organization to address their rally in Azad Maidan to protest against the ban imposed by the Government on their profession. My argument was simple; women who dance in these bars are merely emulating what we see celebrated actresses do in every second Bollywood film.

If anything most bar dancers dress far more modestly than Bipasha Basu or Katrina Kaif do while dancing raunchy numbers like Bidi Jalaiye le or Chikni Chameli. Their only fault is that most bar dancers come from miserably poor families; many end up in the profession because they have been abandoned by husbands or are sole breadwinners supporting disabled or sick parents and younger siblings. By contrast most film heroines today come from highly educated and wealthy families.

At that rally, bar dancers who spoke from the stage openly abused the police for their hypocrisy saying: “They say we are immoral. But they have no shame coming and raiding the bars in order to extort money from us. What does that make them? bhadwas?”

Many bar dancers faced destitution when bars were forcibly shut down. However, that did not mean an end of their profession. Since it became fashionable to have young women gyrate to Bollywood numbers on every conceivable occasion--from political rallies to weddings and even functions organized by the police, many found other venues to perform.

Though I wasn't in favour of the ban, I find it hard to celebrate its revocation. It may be a victory for bar owners but not quite so for women. The stigma attached to the profession stays despite the fact that dancing per se is no more stigmatized. For example, women of “respectable” families dance to the same Bollywood tunes in their family weddings, birthday parties and in discotheques. And yet, many of those who wax eloquent in favor of dance bars would never let their own daughter or sister take to this profession.

The stigma is connected to the fact that many of the dance bars are black holes of economic and sexual exploitation. For example, most bar owners don't pay any salary to the dancers. They are expected to earn from tips given by tipsy customers. Those vary from day to day and from customer to customer putting a pressure on these women to appear "pleasing" to the men. What is worse, the bar owners are reported to take away 40 to 50% of the money received by the dancers as tips as their share for letting them dance in their bars.

Dancing seductively before a group of drunken louts who frequent these bars is not a very dignified way to earn a living. Bar dancer turned film script writer Shagufta admitted candidly on NDTV that while bar dancing saved her from the clutches of flesh trade, it was hardly an enjoyable or dignified profession. Most women don’t dare disclose to their families that they are supporting them by dancing in bars because it is considered just a shade better than prostitution.

It is well known that dance bar clientele usually includes underworld dons and other shady characters. The Supreme Court may order tighter regulations to make the working environment safe for bar dancers, but given the high level of criminalization of our police, the so called law and order guardians pose a bigger threat for these women than do ordinary goondas. Police routinely fleece both the bar owners and dancers.

When talking of the livelihood rights of bar dancers, we cannot afford to ignore the fact that even those who may not be hostile to bar dancers per se do not want dance bars in their neighborhoods, just as even those who consume liquor don’t want a liquor shop next to their home. The reason is simple: such places invariably attract lumpen elements who pose a threat to neighborhood safety. Self styled liberals and feminists use the term “moral policing” as a pejorative. But a society which gives up its right to exercise moral pressure on individuals to observe social decorum is a dying society.

Even today in closely knit villages and stable urban neighborhoods crime rates are low; men dare not indulge in sexual harassment or drunken brawls in public places because they face serious social censure. Our cities have become unsafe largely because people live anonymous lives due to breakdown of community life. Neighborhood bonds and community controls have become lax or nonexistent. As a result young people are growing up rudderless and get easily sucked into anti social activities.

Today, we cannot afford to brush away with disdain the concerns of those who oppose the existence of dance bars in their neighborhoods. Thus the right to livelihood of bar dancers is pitched against citizens’ right to decide what kind of activities they wish to keep out of their neighborhoods. For example, thanks to the work of Shetkari Sangathana in Maharashtra the law mandates that the government would have to close the liquor shop in every such village or municipality where the majority of women vote against presence of daru ka adda because it inevitably becomes a magnet for anti-social elements. However, feminists have celebrated militant anti-liquor movements in rural India, including forcible closure of liquor shops only when they were led by leftist organizations.

Are we going to deny the same right with regard to dance bars, simply because demand for their closure doesn't come under the banner of Maoist or Communist parties?

This article was published in The Indian Express on 20th July 2013 (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/my-neighbourhood-s-right-not-to-have-a-dance-bar/1144138/)