Lunatic fringe

What, one wonders, was the prime minister's reaction when the text of Bal Thackeray's latest rabble-rousing effort reached his desk. A twi...

What, one wonders, was the prime minister8217;s reaction when the text of Bal Thackeray8217;s latest rabble-rousing effort reached his desk. A twinge of guilt followed by exasperation followed by a swift motion consigning the offending text to the dustbin? The Shiv Sena leader does not need much encouragement to go on the offensive against India8217;s minorities and the lack of media attention these days is a constant spur to outrageous behaviour. But the possibility that Atal Bihari Vajpayee8217;s own recent postures may have had something to do with it cannot be disregarded. Hence that twinge of guilt. Thackeray makes Vajpayee8217;s national sentiment8217; notion ridiculous by carrying it to extremes with his demand that Muslims be disenfranchised. Exclusivist ideologies would require many other groups of Indians to be disenfranchised, one after the other. India bereft of democracy might suit some people; the majority would reject it. The whole business is like Alice in Wonderland complete with a Queen of Hearts who has apredilection for decapitating people. It is ironic how the Shiv Sena with three ministers in the central government and the closest ideologically to the BJP proves to be its greatest embarrassment. Exasperated BJP leaders must often think, with a Vidushaka like the one in Mumbai, who needs enemies?

What is the best way to respond to the verbal excesses of the far right? To ignore them is in many ways the sensible approach. Engaging in the controversies raised by the purveyors of hate and trying to counter them with argument and reason gives them too much importance as well as the gratuitous publicity they crave. Ignored the ranting and raving will usually fizzle out soon enough. Something must be done nevertheless about the distortions of the truth and the false values being purveyed. It is at such junctures that the lack of true political leadership is most sorely fet. There must be something beyond the bickering and jostling for power that politicians are required to do. Come elections and the country will be drowned in platitudes and brave words. But what about goal-setting and the vision thing the rest of the time? Something is terribly wrong with politics when the discourse is degraded and the agenda set by the lunatic fringe.

Among the attributes of a great power such as India naturally aspires to be is social cohesiveness. But it is odd that alongside the pursuit of economic prosperity, political stability and military power, all of which are necessary too, far less attention is given to strengthening the social fabric. Such harmony as there is today has come about because of the vision and efforts of the political leadership of earlier decades and what might be called the natural instinct for tolerance of Indians. But as has been seen only too often, it does not take much to divide people and turn them against each other. It is arguable that social tensions today would have worsened under the ministrations of some politicians were it not for the diversions and compensations on the economic front, the new opportunities, the opening to the world and new technologies.