A tsunami has swept across the country, from Gujarat to Assam, Delhi to Telangana! Narendra Modi returns as the PM with a thumping majority in Parliament. The question “what next” has become the hot topic of discussion among liberal circles. But what is the mood of the general public? With an opposition that has failed in all its missions electorally and narrative wise, will India look out for a political alternative? Does the scope for a new political alternative exist? To answer these questions, it is essential to take a deeper look at the past five years, the possibility and need of an alternative, previous attempts and scope of the same in today’s circumstances.
The Struggles Of Past Five Years
India witnessed some of the most intensive struggles by the people during the last five years. These movements and struggles were not led by the major opposition party Congress or any other opposition party. Most of these movements were reflections of hardships faced by various sections, but they couldn’t find a platform of expression within the mainstream parties. Take the example of the farmers’ movements, they were all led by a joint committee of farmers’ organisation. When the brave farmers marched from Nashik to Mumbai in the famous Kisan Long March, they were carrying the red flags of All India Kisan Sabha, and not of the main opposition parties.
Here comes the important question, have the mainstream parties started to become only machines that play in the game of elections? Why is it that they take up issues of importance only when an election approaches? Why has political activism been reduced to fighting elections? The examples go beyond farmers’ protests to students, workers and youth struggles.
Globally, it has been the left that has traditionally played the role of raising people’s issues. Today, the left in India and across the global is facing a near extinction, mainly due to its inability in finding new ways of organizing people, and also due to being stuck in 20th century ideological frameworks. The liberal left is disconnected from common people and is facing the anger of people worldwide. It is in this situation that we come to the question – is an alternative possible?
Vijay Prashad concludes his brilliant article “An India Without the Left” by quoting Akbar Allahabadi who sang, “You were people. With great difficulty you became human”, and goes on to remind us that “difficulty” is the place where the left lives. Without its efforts, would humanity survive? So, can the left reinvent itself? Is a new left possible? Or the broader question – is it possible to build an alternative in India?
Possibility Of An Alternative And Previous Attempts
In 2013, a wave of hope had spread across India, Delhi was the spot of attention for an entire generation! A common man and a party named after the same had shook the nation, it broke through long held beliefs about Indian elections. Many believed the alternative they dreamed of, had finally arrived. Yes, you have guessed it right, it was the Aam Aadmi Party. That hope has vanished now and today, when you look back, it becomes hard to believe it happened.
Many question the AAP experiment, and whether it did good or harmed the idea of alternative politics. Whatever your answer maybe, a discussion about building alternatives on the left or center cannot be taken forward without taking up the AAP example. AAP has both become a symbol of what is possible, and also of what can go wrong in the process. Today, many doubt a new party mainly due to their unpleasant experience with AAP, at the same time the fact that AAP was possible in itself serves as an evidence that alternatives can be built. Even today after all your anger against AAP, the idea someone like Atishi Marlena can become a candidate for parliament, lives on as hope. As Prof. Yogendra Yadav put it in a TV discussion with Barkha Dutt, “Yes, the Aam Aadmi Party experiment was a failure, but in history you don’t stop building startups because one failed!”
Today, when you speak to the common people and especially youth, many come up with a common sense of disbelief in the political system. The most used line being “Kuch nahi hoga!” The long followed path of asking people to vote for a better devil finds little response and rightly so. The need and scope for an alternative in India is at an all time high, the evidences from the past clearly show that it is indeed possible and can be done.
We live in a world that is threatened by climate change, and needs strong action from the political class for humanity to survive. The constant attacks on our rights, and an uncontrolled increase of wealth gap challenges the future of humanity itself. In such a situation, people can’t sit on the fence anymore, the time for commenting from galleries is nearing an end and time for actual action has arrived! Around the world people are standing up for their rights and a sustainable development model. India is looking out for a credible political alternative, and as they say the demand has been created, can we provide the supply?
Future And Way Ahead For Alternative Politics
With a highly powerful BJP government and a weak yet existent opposition, many raise the question of the future path of building an alternative. An alternative has to come through organizing the masses. There remain several challenges in 21st century organizing. One of the major one being the fact that people are working for an entire day to earn a decent living, which leaves them with no time for organizational work or ideological education. The process of building an alternative won’t be easy and will be a long journey. One person that can serve as a guide in this process is none other than MK Gandhi. In today’s political situation, Gandhiji is both a strong symbol and also a guide in taking on an all powerful system. Many today view Gandhiji as a saint or Mahatma, but forget the innovative political organizer in MK Gandhi.
Another major challenge ahead is taking on money and muscle politics that has dominated the country’s political landscape. This won’t be easy, but again, it can be achieved through mass mobilization of people. The liberal idea of supporting someone just on the basis of them being against the extreme right finds no takers among common people (as seen in Bengal in 2019). Today the world is at a critical juncture, it calls out for new heroes and heroines to lead it. India has a significant role in global polity as it has always produced minds that have changed the world. Is a new political force about to rise? Can the left reinvent itself in India? Would the age-old mainstream parties wake up to the call of the people? Or are we set for one party hegemony over power?
“Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life. ”
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India looks out for the people who will lead her in the 21st century, are you ready to take up the challenge?