TheLeaflet
  • Home
  • Constitutional Law
  • Human Rights
  • Culture
    • Book Review
    • Movie Review
    • Poetry
  • Humour
  • Issues
    • Analysis
    • Case update
    • Child’s Rights
    • Civil Law
    • Coronavirus and the Law
    • Criminal Justice System
    • Criminal Law
    • Dalit Rights
    • Editor’s Desk
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Fundamental Rights
    • Gender Rights
    • Governance
    • Health Rights
    • History
    • International Law
    • Judiciary
    • Juvenile Justice
    • Know Your Rights
    • Labour Law
    • Law and Technology
    • Litigation
    • Mental Health
    • Policy
    • Politics
    • Right To Informtion
    • Sexual Offences
    • Social Justice
  • Leaflet Specials
    • Independence Day Special
    • Independence of judiciary
    • Republic Day Special on Citizenship
    • Right to Privacy
    • Special Issue: Emergency
    • The Leaflet Specials- Year 2020
    • The legacy of Ruth Ginsburg
    • Triple Talaq
    • Two years since Navtej Johar case
  • Videos
  • Historical Series
  • Contact us
    • Write For Us
    • Careers
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Constitutional Law
  • Human Rights
  • Culture
    • Book Review
    • Movie Review
    • Poetry
  • Humour
  • Issues
    • Analysis
    • Case update
    • Child’s Rights
    • Civil Law
    • Coronavirus and the Law
    • Criminal Justice System
    • Criminal Law
    • Dalit Rights
    • Editor’s Desk
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Fundamental Rights
    • Gender Rights
    • Governance
    • Health Rights
    • History
    • International Law
    • Judiciary
    • Juvenile Justice
    • Know Your Rights
    • Labour Law
    • Law and Technology
    • Litigation
    • Mental Health
    • Policy
    • Politics
    • Right To Informtion
    • Sexual Offences
    • Social Justice
  • Leaflet Specials
    • Independence Day Special
    • Independence of judiciary
    • Republic Day Special on Citizenship
    • Right to Privacy
    • Special Issue: Emergency
    • The Leaflet Specials- Year 2020
    • The legacy of Ruth Ginsburg
    • Triple Talaq
    • Two years since Navtej Johar case
  • Videos
  • Historical Series
  • Contact us
    • Write For Us
    • Careers
No Result
View All Result
TheLeaflet
No Result
View All Result
in Analysis Constitutional Law Fundamental Rights Human Rights

Idea of Republic is Just an Abstract One

Jaimine VaishnavbyJaimine Vaishnav
January 24, 2021
in Analysis, Constitutional Law, Fundamental Rights, Human Rights
Idea of Republic is Just an Abstract One

On the eve of the 72nd R-day, it is time to introspect about India as a Republic. While the powers enshrined on the government are constitutionally limited so that citizens can breathe well rather than blindly obey the state, the fact is that India is witnessing a grand fall in free speech and an upward trend in sedition cases. Questioning the government is called “anti-national” and the whole fabric of the nation is tailored to suit the panoptic goals of a few authoritarians, writes JAIMINE VAISHNAV.

——

THE state of the nation is such that we have devolved from “for, of, by the people” towards “far, off, buy the people”. It has become so entrenched in our psyche that little do we realise whose republic India is?

On January 26, 1950, India gave herself a Constitution, a document, a social contract that should protect citizens from the statism of the government. But, constitutionally speaking, do citizens today fear the government or does the government fear the citizens?

On the eve of India’s 72nd Republic Day, amidst the pandemic, it’s not too late to reflect on our conspicuous display of celebration, state of the economy, governance and other ideal civilities. India is a republic. 

On the eve of India’s 72nd Republic Day, amidst the pandemic, it’s not too late to reflect on our conspicuous display of celebration, state of the economy, governance and other ideal civilities.

India is a republic.

The idea of res publica is to have a form of government in which elected representatives practice democratic powers in a constitutional manner. If India was not a republic, she would have seen today’s “new India” in 1950 itself. Then, the important question is how did we reach here, why, and what have we become?

Health of a Democracy

The cultural design of the republic is to sustain the “public sphere” rather than treat a nation as the private property of a few individuals. The powers enshrined on the government are constitutionally limited so that citizens can breathe well rather than blindly obey the state.

A scientific temperament, critical consciousness and questioning attitude are essential to upgrade the health of a democracy, but unfortunately, recent trends suggest that the idea of a republic is merely an abstract on the original document (Indian Constitution) written by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

India’s republic has been modified in a way that questioning the government looks “anti-national”. There’s a systematic scheme of restructuring the soul of the public sphere. The whole fabric is tailored to suit the panoptic goals of a few authoritarians.

India’s republic is witnessing a grand fall in free speech (142/190 nations in 2020, against 134/190 nations in 2014) and an upward trend (of about 165% with just a 3% conviction rate) in sedition cases (2019). It seems that it’s wrong to be a republican if the state of affairs is dismal.

India’s republic has been modified in a way that questioning the government looks “anti-national”. There’s a systematic scheme of restructuring the soul of the public sphere. The whole fabric is tailored to suit the panoptic goals of a few authoritarians. Nevertheless, India is consciously entering the gates of a Potemkin democracy while dropping down to a level of 102/117 nations on the hunger index. This is a great setback due to constitutional repub-leak?

Dr Ambedkar

Ambedkar’s Warning

Dr. Ambedkar, on November 25, 1949, warned in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly about the need to give up the grammar of anarchy, to avoid hero-worship and to work towards a social goal.

Sadly, his anticipation is turning true, today. He said:

“Will history repeat itself? It is this thought which fills me with anxiety. This anxiety is deepened by the realisation of the fact that in addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds. Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against.” 

Dr. Ambedkar, on November 25, 1949, warned in his last speech to the Constituent Assembly about the need to give up the grammar of anarchy, to avoid hero-worship and to work towards a social goal. 

He further added that we must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood. On January 26, 1950, India would be a democratic country in the sense that it will have a government of the people, by the people and for the people, he said. “What would happen to her democratic Constitution? Will she be able to maintain it or will she lose it again? This is the second thought that comes to my mind and makes me as anxious as the first,” he said.

Taking a cue from how a supreme leader is worshipped at the cost of a “republic”, and who doesn’t hold any press conferences, Ambedkar anticipated: “Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.”

Hindu Rashtra

The republic of India is manufacturing a “concept” that will beget the current and upcoming generation to worship Manusmriti over India’s Constitution.

Is this history repeating itself?

It was Swami Karpatri and the Hindu Sabha who expressed their disgruntlement at the constitutional process in the late 1940s. Contemporarily, a few fringe elements are establishing themselves as the “deep state” to channelise the conventional tenets of a “Hindu Rashtra” than that of a secular, tolerant, democratic and liberal India.

The narratives and interactions are simply amended, verily through the selective power of the Fourth Pillar (media), while the other three pillars are mere spectators-cum-facilitators. Like never before, WhatsApp university is a credible source, fake news is a qualification, hate speech is the “new” free speech, interfaith marriage is love jihad, unaccountability is transparency, history is fake, mythology is science, and coercion is consent.

One side of the community has to prove its nationalism along with “kaagaz”, another community is programmed only for manual scavenging, while yet another one enjoys “bhoomi poojan” on August 5, 2020, breaching the basic structure of the Constitution.

The Constitution was founded with the intent to make India’s democracy “functional”. The recent farmers’ protest over the new farm bills is an ongoing case study to examine how people’s consent or farmers’ consultation does not matter. The new republic of India is willing to transcend and supersede any heights to transform a re-public state into a re-private state.

Tight Nexus

In this re-private state, crony capitalism and denationalisation go hand in hand. And, in this consciousness, the nexus of media, government, and business houses working together would simply mean that Brahminism inherently prevails over life, liberty, dignity, and consent of the working class…and any act of disobedience would beget “untouchability” of the dissidents through sedition charges, lynching, UAPA, defamation, trolling and threats, leaving no room for any August Landmesser moment.

Like never before, WhatsApp university is a credible source, fake news is a qualification, hate speech is the “new” free speech, interfaith marriage is love jihad, unaccountability is transparency, history is fake, mythology is science, and coercion is consent. 

I am ratiocinating this so-called cynical piece with a factual ode:

“Stand up, and all hail the git,

“Censor this and that and every wit,

“Bid a farewell to democracy using rit,

“Dump down that constitution in a pit,

“For it provokes dissidents to never sit,

“This new India will have its own kit,

“That will lynch, beat and lit,

“Whatever the supreme says is never a nit,

“Obey and follow, dear cit.”

(Jaimine Vaishnav is a lecturer based in Mumbai. He is presently completing his Ph.D. He blogs on subjects like Hindutva, Buddhism, free speech and society. The views expressed here are personal.)

 

Tags: ConstitutionDr Ambedkarhero worshipHindu RashtaRepublic Dayres publicaSlider Postwe the people

Related Posts

UP Uses Facial Recognition Technology to Mete Out Discriminatory Treatment
Law and Technology

UP Uses Facial Recognition Technology to Mete Out Discriminatory Treatment

byMuazzam Nasirand1 others
Government Needs to Review Private Hydel Projects After Poor Construction Led to Chamoli Disaster
Environment

Government Needs to Review Private Hydel Projects After Poor Construction Led to Chamoli Disaster

byDr Somu
New Media Rules: An Over The Top Distraction?
Freedom of the Press

New Media Rules: An Over The Top Distraction?

byVickram Crishna

Editor's Pick

15th Finance Commission recommendations favour neo-liberal fiscal centralisation that may affect states

15th Finance Commission recommendations favour neo-liberal fiscal centralisation that may affect states

byDr. C. P. Chandrashekhar

Protests That Shaped India

Protests That Shaped India

byParvathi Sajiv

Kerala Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Sea Over Rs 5,000-cr Fishing Investment Project

Kerala Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Sea Over Rs 5,000-cr Fishing Investment Project

byRejimon Kuttappan

MEA Defends Farm Laws Amid International Backlash

A Close Reading of Farmers Produce Trade Act: Does it Make Farmers Free to Trade?

byPrakhar Dixit

Latest by TheLeaflet

UP Uses Facial Recognition Technology to Mete Out Discriminatory Treatment

UP Uses Facial Recognition Technology to Mete Out Discriminatory Treatment

March 1, 2021
Government Needs to Review Private Hydel Projects After Poor Construction Led to Chamoli Disaster

Government Needs to Review Private Hydel Projects After Poor Construction Led to Chamoli Disaster

February 28, 2021
New Media Rules: An Over The Top Distraction?

New Media Rules: An Over The Top Distraction?

February 28, 2021
Global #MeToo was the first mass movement against sexual abuse

Global #MeToo was the first mass movement against sexual abuse

February 28, 2021

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

Follow Us

© 2020 TheLeaflet

SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES
×

Subscribe to The Leaflet

Enter your email address to subscribe to The Leaflet and receive notifications of new posts by email.

  • Home
  • Constitutional Law
  • Human Rights
  • Culture
    • Book Review
    • Movie Review
    • Poetry
  • Humour
  • Issues
    • Analysis
    • Case update
    • Child’s Rights
    • Civil Law
    • Coronavirus and the Law
    • Criminal Justice System
    • Criminal Law
    • Dalit Rights
    • Editor’s Desk
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Fundamental Rights
    • Gender Rights
    • Governance
    • Health Rights
    • History
    • International Law
    • Judiciary
    • Juvenile Justice
    • Know Your Rights
    • Labour Law
    • Law and Technology
    • Litigation
    • Mental Health
    • Policy
    • Politics
    • Right To Informtion
    • Sexual Offences
    • Social Justice
  • Leaflet Specials
    • Independence Day Special
    • Independence of judiciary
    • Republic Day Special on Citizenship
    • Right to Privacy
    • Special Issue: Emergency
    • The Leaflet Specials- Year 2020
    • The legacy of Ruth Ginsburg
    • Triple Talaq
    • Two years since Navtej Johar case
  • Videos
  • Historical Series
  • Contact us
    • Write For Us
    • Careers

© 2020 TheLeaflet