Opinion Uncertain outcomes
It is a basic truth of British public life that the taxi driver is a fount of political wisdom and always to be canvassed during your journey about the latest trends
It is a basic truth of British public life that the taxi driver is a fount of political wisdom and always to be canvassed during your journey about the latest trends. Following this dictum,I spoke to a taxi driver in Mumbai a fortnight ago which gave me much insight into the elections. He was from UP,a Muslim migrant (not begging as Rahul Gandhi feared). He said the Maharashtra Government was no help in giving him protection against Shiv Sena or MNS who bullied outsiders especially from UP,and even more so if they were Muslims. But then the Congress does not protect Muslims even from other Muslims; how can you expect it to protect them from powerful Hindu chauvinists?
My interlocutor had seen it all before and did not trust any political party. He was going back for the election to cast his vote,but then he did not much expect any of the parties to deliver. Upon some pressing,he said the BSP had not done too badly for his local constituency. He knew that the SP and the Congress were vying for his vote,but he would reserve his judgment. He deplored that people who had committed murders were released on bail while waiting trial and thus were free to intimidate the witnesses. He also told us that his family had been involved in a land dispute with local strongmen for the last forty years. The most hopeful thing for him was that he was sending his two daughters to a private school.
There it was in a microcosm. Cynicism about politics and politicians,lack of security from the State if you are a minority,judicial delays and lack of enforcement of law against local dadas. Except for what he was doing for himself and his family,my interlocutor had no help from the sarkar mai-baap.
I have to say this did not surprise me much. The UP elections are seen around the country not so much as a way of solving the problems of the people of UP but more as a way of easing the pressure on Congress/UPA at the Centre. The aim is not even so much as ruling UP though Rahul Gandhi often talks as if he thinks the Congress will rule the State. The modest aim is to make sure that BSP does not emerge as the largest single party,but the SP does. I do not see why the Congress should care. Either would do as coalition partner at the Centre and as a senior partner in coalition in UP. After all,no ideology is involved in choosing one or the other. Mulayam Singh may be more pliable than Mayawati but that is about it. The only danger is that while Mulayam will never go with the BJP,Mayawati may and has done so in the past.
Yet what is puzzling about the Congress approach to the election is a strange case of amnesia. Rahul Gandhi promises to overcome 22 years of Opposition rule which he blames for the backwardness of UP. Yet the roots of UPs decline go right back to the 42 years of Congress rule where upper caste chief ministers treated the lower castes and Dalits like dirt. Indeed,the history of North India is remarkable in this regard. UP,Bihar and to some extent,West Bengal,saw Congress failure to cater to OBCs and Dalits which is why Mandal became necessary. Bihar came through the crisis after 15 years of Lalu rule which had as its agenda the sole aim of restoring respect for the downtrodden. It took Nitish Kumar to bring development to Bihar. UP has had the Lalu phase thanks to Mulayam Singh,though it has been muddled by intermittent BJP rule which was as bad as the Congress in favouring upper castes. Mayawati has brought development despite the statues and may yet garner the fruits for that. UPs growth rate has now caught up with the Indian average for the first time in decades.
Recall that the Lohiaite movement with its anti-Congressism started in UP/Bihar and spread elsewhere in North India. UP/Bihar have yet to trust the Congress with power since it has never admitted its past mistakes. Rahul Gandhi could yet do it. But will he?
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