Commutiny Media Features

by Joe Athialy

India had won the Border-Gavaskar trophy convincingly. And hence had all the reasons to see the highlights repeatedly, and to watch the special programs on different channels. Great presentation, in depth analysis and wonderful guests to watch talking about the great victory, the exemplary captaincy and the career-sunset of Ganguly. (Kumble’s retirement was a test old and hence did not take too much airtime.)

NDTV had, among other guests, pop singer Usha Uthup talking how great Dada was. Answering a question towards the end of the show, whether Ganguly should consider politics or a career as cricket commentator in future, Usha resorted, “Not politics”. As if it was not enough, she shook her head in disapproval and repeated it again to make sure that she was heard right.

What’s wrong with politics?

It was just a year back when King Khan commented that “I'm too good-looking for politics”, while fielding questions at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. Is that the looks which matters or that some people are too good to be in politics?

Well, these are not isolated bytes of two well known people, said in different contexts and at different times. It’s the reflection of a growing trend where anything to do with politics is considered anathema and it is thought ‘not for good people like us, but for others’.

Are the growing corruption, absence of accountability and transparency, and the ever growing ‘son-rise’ in politics not inspiring many to be 'political'? Rising road accidents do not hold us from driving, irresponsible corporations do not stop us from seeking jobs there, family disputes are on the rise, but we still nurture our families, and a war-monger country is still a preferred one to migrate to… then why single out politics?

Who can be blamed for the depoliticization of society? The ever increasing influence of the market? Consumerism? Or what? Whoever to blame that for, it’s finding its root at a faster pace. Depoliticization is not just the absence of awareness of an issue/situation but also the motivation to act politically to resolve it.

Increasingly the problems which were considered as the responsibility of the government are attempted to resolve by citizen groups, or NGOs. Be it education, sanitation, health or water scarcity, they are genuinely attempted to address by a group of dedicated people, rather than resorting to mobilizing the people and asking the government to take action on it.

Some NGOs are capable of reaching a large number of people, and deliver more efficiently than a government department can do. But they are confined to small geographical areas. They no longer see it as responsibility of the government to provide what is a right of the citizen. This is besides the point of representation, accountability and transparency, which, though missing currently, are the hallmarks of good governance.

Rather, the government (and politicians, to be more precise) is blamed for all that is wrong. Those discourses sometimes touch the heights that would imply that without them we are better off.

What Usha Uthup and Shah Rukh Khan say is the reflection of this larger depoliticization.

An apathetical government, plagued with corruption and lethargy does not make it easier. However, insulating oneself from politics and letting non-governmental initiatives to run the country does not seem to be the answer.

Politics is what decolonized India, gave the Fundamental Rights to every citizen which include the freedom of speech and expression, and protected the country from becoming an autocracy. However insufficient it may be, it’s politics that gave voice to the poor and a hope that things could change.

In non-governmental initiatives what is done is because of the dedication of the one who is serving, or because somebody genuinely feel doing something good for the society. Through a political action, the citizen is asking for what is his/her right, to a government who is elected by them and who is accountable to the people.

Well there are problems with politics, as in any other system / organization. Strengthening it and weeding out the ills are the way. Depoliticization could only complicate matters in the long run.