Is politics, or more exactly the divisiveness it generates, the best way to determine policies that shape our lives? Politicians are supposed to represent the people. Are the people as full of intolerance towards each other as are the politicians? Are not democratically elected leaders supposed to have put in the years of learning and experience necessary to understand the issues affecting people’s lives? Or are policies going to be determined by the sudden need to placate protestors knocking down your door?
Take, for instance, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s declaration that rapists would be given the death penalty. Even if the sincerity of this decision is in doubt, as it is constitutionally beyond the scope of a state to make such a law, the logic behind it is just as questionable. Does she and all those advocating such a step not understand that, if a rapist knows he will get the death penalty for rape, he will not hesitate to kill the victim, as the consequences would be the same? On the other hand, if the law says that ‘rape and murder’ would mandate the extreme punishment, many perpetrators will spare the victim’s life. This is the distinction to be made. What Banerjee is advocating endangers the victims even more. It is not the job of leaders at such a senior level to come up with such ill-considered propositions when under pressure of circumstances.
Thankfully, the checks and balances in Indian democracy ensure that such populism is prevented from going overboard, but it is still necessary for civil society to ensure politics reaches a higher level of sophistication. That would require an understanding among the political class to make the distinction between national and personal interests. The people should also be able to tell when personal interests are clearly being followed at the cost of national ones. Unless this happens, populism will continue to do damage to the general wellbeing.
If the politicians will not set the rules on playing the game, it will result in the kind of anarchy being witnessed in Bengal these days. This can be seen in less distinguishable ways in other parts of the country also. Although still a young democracy, India has developed some conventions that provide stability. The benefits of these should be explained to the next generation of leaders, so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
