Skip to main content

When 'threat' of communal fascism doesn't concern secular camp, so-called Team India

By Prem Singh* 

For the last three decades, the mainstream political and intellectual circles of the country have been working with the spirit of team-work in erecting a Corporate-India (nigam-bharat). I call it Team-India. It evokes no amazement in me that I am doomed to be a part of this team-work at times. Indeed, the intellectuals/leaders of India who do not accept the fact of being part of this team-work are doomed to pseudo-thinking and conduct.
One wonders: shouldn't secularist intellectuals and leaders of India get united with Arvind Kejriwal on his demand of printing Lakshmi-Ganesh's pictures on Indian currency. Rather, the secular camp should also request its new specimen of corporate politics to replace Gandhi's picture with Ambani-Adani's, along with the demand of printing Lakshmi-Ganesh's. Lest the RSS/BJP take a beating in this matter.
Even though Kiran Bedi had called Anna Hazare a 'big' and Kejriwal a 'small' Gandhi, Gandhi has no importance in Kejriwal's politics. The 'ideals' of his politics are Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. Hence, he is compulsively accepting the picture of Gandhi on the currency.
The secular camp should advise Kejriwal that this is the right time to get rid of Gandhi. By making such a demand, he can go far ahead of the RSS/BJP on the 'kartayva path' of corporate politics. The kind of constant troubles Gandhi is facing in Corporate-India alias Hindu-Rashtra, it is bound to happen sooner or later, sooner the better.
The secular camp's support to Kejriwal is natural. Because it has a blood relation with this bearer of the new hallmark of the communal right. This is not a truth hidden in the haze of history. This is the reality of the present going on before the eyes. By mentioning the list of this relationship once again, I would not like to become a part of further anger of this camp.
However, it is now well understood that why JNU became the main focus of the Youth for Equality (YFE) campaign against the Constitutional reservation system. Formed in Delhi in 2006, the organization tied up with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections the same year.
At that time ABVP said that we did not go to YFE, they themselves came forward and offered to support us. YFE's argument on its move was that 'they are basically opposed to the Congress-led UPA government. The issue of caste-based reservation and policies comes after that. We are supporting ABVP on the dictum of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'.
India's secular camp should not need to be told that YFE had the directions and funding of Arvind Kejriwal-Manish Sisodia and their Ford Foundation catered NGO running in its veins. The All India Students Association (AISA), which states itself as the most revolutionary student organization, tied up with the Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, in the 2018 DUSU elections.
It may be noted that YFE was formed in protest against the decision of the then Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh to give 27 percent reservation to the backward class students in institutions of higher education like central universities, IITs, IIMs.
It can also be understood more clearly now that the secular camp, which has repeatedly sought answers from the RSS/BJP on their pseudo-nationalism, pseudo-patriotism and fascism, has not sought any answer from the guru-disciple duo (Anna Hazare- Kejriwal) who had been active in the business of 'social-service' as to what was their opinion on the open dastardly killings of Sikhs in 1984, the Babri-Masjid-demolition in 1992 and the horrific communal riots that followed, the Gujarat tragedy of 2002.
When I raised these questions, everyone had adopted an attitude of 'maintain silence and ignore'. Some Marxists even started saying that I make false speculations. (Because only they have the patent for the scientific knowledge of what happened in the past and what will happen in the future.) Some socialists said that the Delhi conquest of Aam Aadmi Party should have opened my eyes. Now I must wait till it wins all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi. That is, the one who wins is Alexander.
During the anti-corruption movement, when the truth came to light that Kejriwal had stolen 9 lakh rupees of the exchequer while in service, all of them lashed out at the 'corrupt' Congress in defense of their 'honest' hero through this same 'godi' media. Then the cheque of 9 lakhs was sent directly to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. They had no hesitation in defaming him by openly calling him corrupt.
Three decades after the corporate-communal nexus, the truth has well come to the fore that the 'new' India created in the last three decades could only become a 'Hindu' India, and that is what it has become. The RSS/BJP call it Hindu-Rashtra.
The intellectuals and leaders of the secular camp try to hide the truth from the working people of the country, the new generations and most of all the minorities by creating various illusions that Corporate-India alias Hindu-Rashtra is being formed with their approval and participation. If these people, as it seems, were true opponents of communal fascism, they would have at least opposed Kejriwal's communal politics in some way.
It is now clear that the threat of communal fascism is not the genuine concern of the secular camp. It is a pastime under which the flag bearers of the secular camp take pleasure in bashing the RSS/BJP and Narendra Modi.
The secular camp had laid the chess-board of the anti-corruption movement and paved the national highway for Narendra Modi on the one hand, and placed its bet on Kejriwal on the other. It was a truly an astounding period of political bankruptcy of the secular camp.
The entire camp used to sit and stand, wake up and sleep with Kejriwal's acrobatics. It used to daydream that the international rating of Kejriwal's popularity has gone above that of Narendra Modi. That whole story is recorded in the book 'Bhrashtachar Virodh: Vibhram Aur Yatharth'.
Since then, Kejriwal has become Robin Hood for the secular camp to stop Narendra Modi riding on the communal politics of Hindu majoritarianism. Just like Narendra Modi's 'godi' media, similarly Narendra Modi's opponent media is sitting on Kejriwal's lap.
Secular camp should also request its new specimen of corporate politics to replace Gandhi's picture with Ambani-Adani's
When Narendra Modi bought the media for building his image, he had been the chief minister of Gujarat thrice, and had become the trust-bearer of select industrialists. The secular camp is in a hurry to elevate Kejriwal to the status of Narendra Modi.
This camp is often a victim of attraction-repulsion regarding Rahul Gandhi. However, it has full faith in Kejriwal's prospects. It was on this belief that its future 'Hindu-Hridya-Samrat' reaped the entire crop of the peasant movement in Punjab.
Needless to say that in this camp one has to become a royal man, one has to get foreign funding, someone has to take prizes, and one has to earn a reputation of being an expert.
This business of the secular camp is going to grow in Corporate India alias Hindu-Rashtra. It has made good inroads in the private universities opened under the aegis of Corporate-India. All its members will be available for service in the foreign universities that will open here soon. Tomorrow foreign channels and newspapers will also come to India. In them too, the secular camp will get an opportunity to serve. There will be no dearth of posts and awards for them in the country and abroad.
The secular camp doesn't have to do much for this business to flourish. At present, elections are to be held in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The camp has to mobilize Muslims in favor of the Aam Aadmi Party especially in the Gujarat Assembly elections while ignoring Kejriwal's communal gimmicks as usual.
Muslims are negligible in Himachal Pradesh. There it can play a supporting role in selling the 'Delhi model' to the voters. Municipal Corporation elections are also going to be held in Delhi soon. Like in the earlier four elections, the secular camp should gear up to get the total votes of Delhi's Muslims in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party.
New readers may inquire as to who figures prominently in the pro-Kejriwal secular camp. Their brief description can be as follows -- democratic, progressive, secular intellectuals, including many eminent journalists and scholars; the three communist parties and their leaders who first recognized the 'ideology' of 'Kejriwal-revolution'; the weeds of the socialist movement, who were busy propagating themselves as the true harvest of the socialist movement; NGO personalities receiving international funding and awards; Dalit ideologues/organizations that operate with the intention of getting their share in every corridor of power; feminist scholars who cover up Kejriwal's opportunistic tricks on incidents of atrocities against women in lieu of getting posts-awards and for whom Kejriwal is the lone lion; and the intellectuals of the backward society, organized in recent years, who are ready for any compromise to increase their strength.
It is true that the Indian nation and society is going through its biggest crisis ever. The apoliticization of the last three decades has had a profoundly negative impact on the generations of this era. Still, in every generational consignment, many conscious and sincere youth/young women keep arriving on the socio-political stage.
They have to understand that the claimants to the solution of the crisis are in fact part of the crisis. Only then will they be able to assume their independent role apart from Team-India, which is involved in building Corporate-India alias Hindu-Rashtra.
---
*Associated with socialist movement, former teacher of Delhi University and fellow of Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla

Comments

TRENDING

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor*  Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी: जल जीवन मिशन के लक्ष्य को पाने समन्वित प्रयास जरूरी

- राज कुमार सिन्हा*  जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए। 

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy  Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

PUCL files complaint with SC against Gujarat police, municipal authorities for 'unlawful' demolitions, custodial 'violence'

By A Representative   The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Justice of India, urging the Supreme Court to initiate suo-moto contempt proceedings against the police and municipal authorities in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The complaint alleges that these officials have engaged in unlawful demolitions and custodial violence, in direct violation of a Supreme Court order issued in November 2024.

Incarcerated for 2,424 days, Sudhir Dhawale combines Ambedkarism with Marxism

By Harsh Thakor   One of those who faced incarceration both under Congress and BJP rule, Sudhir Dhawale was arrested on June 6, 2018, one of the first six among the 16 people held in what became known as the Elgar Parishad case. After spending 2,424 days in incarceration, he became the ninth to be released from jail—alongside Rona Wilson, who walked free with him on January 24. The Bombay High Court granted them bail, citing the prolonged imprisonment without trial as a key factor. I will always remember the moments we spent together in Mumbai between 1998 and 2006, during public meetings and protests across a wide range of issues. Sudhir was unwavering in his commitment to Maoism, upholding the torch of B.R. Ambedkar, and resisting Brahmanical fascism. He sought to bridge the philosophies of Marxism and Ambedkarism. With boundless energy, he waved the banner of liberation, becoming the backbone of the revolutionary democratic centre in Mumbai and Maharashtra. He dedicated himself ...

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative  The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment.  The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents.   The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

CPM’s evaluation of BJP reflects its political character and its reluctance to take on battle against neo-fascism

By Harsh Thakor*  A controversial debate has emerged in the revolutionary camp regarding the Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s categorization of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many Communists criticize the CPM’s reluctance to label the BJP as a fascist party and India as a fascist state. Various factors must be considered to arrive at an accurate assessment. Understanding the original meaning and historical development of fascism is essential, as well as analyzing how it manifests in the present global and national context.

Implications of deaths of Maoist leaders G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya in Chhattisgarh

By Harsh Thakor*  In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).