WHY DO WE ALWAYS BLAME POLITICIANS?

WHY DO WE BLAME THE POLITICIANS?

I have yet to participate in a conversation with middle class Indians when the discussion does not return to the so called ills of India. Not really a bad thing since it shows that this class is concerned about the various problems that the country faces. What gets my goat is that the many ills of the country are almost unfailingly placed at the doors of politicians. ‘It is all politics ‘ is how the conversation ends. Be it the foul weather, the poor performance of the Indian cricket team or the extent of corruption or the riots – ‘it is all the handiwork of politicians’.

But I have a question.

Is it possible for a politician to stir up trouble on a consistent basis unless a substantial mass of people—a critical mass- agrees with him? Can Raj Thakeray stir up anti- north Indian sentiments in Mumbai unless he is convinced that he is only verbalizing the unsaid sentiments of a critical mass of people? Can a Naraendra Modi

work in isolation and lead a carnage unless he is convinced that he in fact is crystallizing the opinions and feelings of his people or sufficient mass of his people?

The other distressing aspect of any general discussion is the resort to casual generalizations not based on a deeper research into the events.

Thus in the context of the current tensions in Mumbai many people including the media persons told us that it is the lumpen elements—the unwashed millions-- who form the backbone of support for Raj.

I decided to seek more information. Sure enough the Society for Study of Developing Societies came up with a report that is likely to shake us out of our simplistic assumptions. Contrary to popular assumptions it is the upwardly mobile educated Marathi middle class that supports and agrees with Raj Thakeray. It is possible that this class may not form the storm troopers that respond to Raj’s call to riotous action since this class does not like to dirty its hands .But this class is in sympathy with Raj and this ought to be cause for great concern.

In other situations of crisis perhaps we have not done sufficient research or the results of studies have not been disseminated enough.

I had occasion to talk to a senior official of the Government and asked him why his political masters do not come up with more sensible policies. His answer made me sit up. He said that whenever a ‘ good policy’ is announced or even considered , it is middle class people who pull strings and puts pressure on the Minister to make ‘ exceptions’ to the policy.

I myself recall how it was the well heeled people of Mumbai’s Peddar road[including the venerable Lata Mangeshkar] who put pressure on the state government to stall the flyover project on the road when the rest of the city was convinced of its necessity.

The middle class as well as the wealthy are open to reforms in every sector except the sector in which it has financial interests. Thus the media and its editors write tomes on the need for Foreign Direct Investment in every sector EXCEPT THE MEDIA SECTOR!

A proposal to tax IIT students[their education is substantially subsidized by the way] who migrate to other countries after graduation is in the air for many years now The main opposition to this comes from the middle class for whom an IIT education is a stepping stone to the US. Pressure on the minister has been strenuous enough to stall this proposal for many years now.

Of course after migrating to the U.S these boys and girls and their parents will talk of ‘Its all politics’.

K.R.RAVI

USA