In a period where people literally put Chowkidar in front of their social media names over a pathetic marketing gimmick, we should sit back and think how our sanity has fallen down. Or was it ever intact?
The majoritarian population of India had always been in awe of the elite club or the intellectuals. They were never allowed to be a part of this elite club because there was no place for them in there. The majoritarian population didn’t talk with subtle poise, didn’t throw random quotes of the authors from the west, weren’t privileged enough to read and educate themselves like the elites. This majoritarian population mostly consisted of people beginning from the second level of food chain till its very end, upper middle class to the lowest. The upper class or the elites were the ones who made important policies which were for the majoritarian population. How come someone who’s privileged enough should make policies for underprivileged?
The despair and uneasiness grew all along till the majoritarian found their Messiah. He talked liked them, he came from the level of food chain with which they could relate to, and most importantly he hated the elite as well. He became an apple of their eyes because he wasn’t speaking something very intelligent or scientific. He spoke like people talk on streets or in drawing rooms of their houses.
In the era of Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie, when Chetan Bhagat (who doesn’t use posh literary language) becomes a bestseller, isn’t it evident enough that elite is not relatable for majoritarian population?
There’s a huge valley elites created in last 71 years of freedom not realising that they are few in numbers and they have a responsibility to be inclusive towards the majoritarian population and educate them.
Racism, sexism, communalism, patriarchy and other complex concepts were never explained to the majoritarian people. It was only elites who talked about it and blamed the majoritarians of being uneducated or regressive instead of explaining them what’s exactly wrong with their mindsets.
Now the majoritarians have a Hero. And they aren’t willing to let him go any soon. Narendra Modi has cashed on the failure of elites who weren’t paying attention that there was a huge population who had growing grudges against them through all these years.
Now, where do we go from here? We go ridiculously low to the point where power is completely centred at one person, who’d not care either about the majoritarians or the elites. Or we go in a direction where elites come out of their air conditioned offices or sophisticated press clubs and start talking to the majoritarians.
The gap is huge and I am not sure how long it will take to bridge that gap. But for a democracy, it’s necessary to happen.
Good luck, India.