"Cockroach" Youth Capture Imagination
I was planning to write the second part of my series on Judiciary which I had commenced posting last weekend. But it is impossible not to reflect upon the agitation by youth under the banner of “Cockroach Janata Party”. It has captured the imagination of the nation and won hearts of people by sheer romanticism of innocence, integrity and defiance identified with youth. There are disturbing aberrations as well and some of them have been heard using objectionable and not so decent language. Yet most of them, unlike spoiled brats of India's nouve rich and powerful getting in news for all the wrong reasons, seem to nurture a dream for a better future for themselves as well as entire society. Majority appear fairly grounded. This again reflects innate strength of society and upbringing, which is definitely not consistent. The Government has clearly come under pressure and started negotiations with them making many tactical concessions and yet held its ground on many issues. It is not clear whether this agitation shall end if specific grievance on NEET paper leak is addressed or it may embrace other issues of governance failures.
Initially the ruling dispensation and its troll army had sought to defame and de-legitimise the young protestors as well as their symbolic and moral anchor– Sonam wangchuk- through a narrative war. There were attempts to paint the agitators as proxies of global deep state and mainstream media either ignored them or projected them in disparaging light, questioning their integrity and intent. But the damage control exercise was initiated only after clear public indignation over the way police treated the young protestors. There is a potential that the "Cockroach Janata Party" may persist and, if guided and anchored by wise and sensible elders like Wangchuk and may be others, it can become an agent for a bi-partisan transformation in governance systems. But the process shall not be easy, given the deep entrenchment of powerful vested interests thriving in all segments of economy and society.
Ironically, the nomenclature “Cockroach” of this new group was triggered by a disdainful and dismissive remark towards youth of the country by none less than the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India (CJI) himself. Though intense public scrutiny on social media compelled him to cover up his words with big plaudits on youth of the nation, but the damage had already been done. Ironically, the incumbent CJI himself has been in line of public anger more than once over his words and actions in a manner that impacts credibility and image of judiciary. He has repeatedly appeared insensitive towards citizens and docile towards political executive. A group of enterprising youth chose to float an entity named "Cockroach Janata Party" in a clear mood of defiance against the highest functionary of judiciary most of whose recent judgments over the last decade have increasingly projected the judiciary as a subservient arm of the executive.
Since the beginning of this century, a host of factors have unleashed a sustained process of subversion of institutions in most democracies, but the challenges are far more formidable in India, given its size and constraints. But attack on integrity and autonomy of institutions have appeared more direct or brazen over the last one decade in India. Nothing can be more painful, generating an ambience of hopelessness and despair if institution of judiciary loses its credibility and impartiality. If private considerations or external pressures, or sheer ignorance, force the highest incumbents in judiciary to deviate from ideals of rule of rule or lose empathy for people and youth, it will be end of a civilisation and our humanis traditions that we boast of.
Free press and free media have always been the biggest guarantors of individual freedom, dignity and security. These act as the biggest bulwark against atrocities by criminalised gangs or even isolated thugs who can potentially capture sections of state machineries. They may run a parallel system to pursue a private agenda in the name of state.
Sadly, both free press and free judiciary in India appear to have shifted in political ICU amidst serious subversion of our entire political space. Nearly all political parties are caught in a trap of opaque funding, unavoidable corruption, deliberate subversion of state institutions besides nepotism and cronyism of the worst kind. This is not a new phenomenon and it would be grossly unfair to blame anyone individual or entity. But probably its intensity has never been felt as high over the last five decades or so. While there is world-wide erosion in integrity of institutions, humanity shall suffer immeasurably if Indian democracy continues to lose its direction. I have always believed that India needs to spearhead many innovations in democracy and one of these have to be reform in political parties. This is not about political finding alone. Apart from transparent funding, we need a general culture of leadership, high quality discourse and a wider culture of fair competition within and among political parties. The challenge is huge but not impossible.
Larger Pent-Up Mass Anguish
Despite primary focus of the current youth protest being restricted to grievances over NEET paper leak, the mass outrage reflects a larger a pent-up frustration over poor governance, failed promises and a vindictive and oppressive abuse of coercive power of the state against unarmed citizen. Face of the agitation, Sonam Wangchuk, an educationist and innovator from the frontier region of Ladakh, was able to inspire the youth across the nation, in what appeared an inherent manifestation of psychological, emotional and cultural cohesion of the world's most populous nation with the longest and oldest humanist roots.
A dispensation that has appeared consistently arrogant, oppressive and vindictive towards any citizen who has been even remotely critical of its actions or outlook, and particularly targeted apolitical ethical civil servants and contributors to security and progress of the nation, initially responded with war-like bellicosity towards unarmed protestors. Police Commissioner of Delhi was abruptly shunted out on the noon of July 17 and within hours of taking charge, the new police Commissioner ordered a brutal crackdown on protestors. Sonam Wangchuk was forcibly shifted to a Govt hospital in the early morning of July 18 and scores of unarmed protestors were assaulted. Many young people were seen standing calmly and bleeding and yet armed cops were violently assaulting them with batons, even without provocation. Many Delhi police personnel or suspected thugs from the ruling party were also seen in civil dress and slippers assaulting protestors. Young women were also not spared. Male cops were seen slapping and assaulting female protestors and, as per a viral video on social media, one male cop was seen trying to poke a stick into private parts of a fleeing female protestor.
Though Government appears to have temporarily climbed down from high mountains of arrogance to talk to the protestors, but its focus remains restricted to deflecting the present crisis rather than mending the flaws that led to the crisis or initiating remedial measures to bolster the quality of governance and efficacy of institutions. Some heads have rolled but only in bureaucracy. The Government has been adamant upon protecting the Education Minister, who, according to most impartial and apolitical observers, should have taken responsibility and quit.
Why Must The Movement Remain Apolitical
The protesting youth, driven by a dream for a better India, need to protect apolitical character and integrity of their movement. Moment they allow their platform to be politicized, they may lose credibility, focus and purpose. It is deep-rooted systemic contradictions that have thrown up a political-governance model that has been causing larger sufferings and occasional crises. Instead of expecting a change of heart in our political class, they must look for transformation of this political-governance structure. This will never be easy in immediate future.
Nearly a decade and half back, Delhi Police, under a different dispensation had also unleashed violent crack-down on protestors who were sitting on hunger strike. Though a politically inclined Yog Baba had to run away in female robes, probably as part of a deceptive strategy of cops, he permanently lost his credibility. Agitating youth must appreciate successive political and police establishments have been more or less same. Indian police has been perennially loyal to political masters and not people of this country and Constitution of the nation. Simultaneously, opportunist sections of the society, lacking character and ethic, always seek to fish in troubled waters. This calls for greater vigil.
A big majority of agitating youth have shown enormous composure and calm, despite aberrations by many immature and naive ones among them. Yet their leadership needs to be careful that their movement is neither polluted nor hijacked by any vested group or force, especially if they aspire to build a better world for themselves and the entire citizenry of India to inspire rest of the humanity.
Most spontaneous mass agitations by relatively naïve or political greenhorns, struggle to guard against infiltration by negative elements. Many undesirable elements have crept in to this movement as well. Certain Islamist zealots have been seen carrying flags of Islamist nations and radical group and shouting provocative sectarian slogans. Suspected criminals and thugs have also been seen assaulting cops and journalists or using foul language. Simultaneously, individuals perennially known for strident views against unity and integrity of the nation, and suspected links with hostile external forces have also graced the stage of this agitation.
This is inevitable when a large protest takes place as all and sundry with an agenda against the establishment come together. But the credibility of the ruling dispensation appears so low that many apolitical observers have expressed apprehension that the Govt itself may have infiltrated some criminal elements to defame and discredit the protestors through a narrative warfare. Some armed individuals have also been apprehended enroute the protest site. While some police men and women have been gracious and even agitators have also been seen helping cops suffering from commotion, it is most unfortunate that some cops have been seen threatening to frame the protestors or brutalising them or damaging their own vehicles or public property with malicious intent.
Amidst these developments, almost entire political opposition of India has latched on this opportunity and tried to hijack this agitation for their own partisan gains. However, there is hardly anything substantive or remedial or constructive vision that has come out from them. No government controls a magic wand to do things perfectly. Ability of a government - to do good or bad- depends upon quality of institutions. Quality of institutions depend upon larger societal, economic, political, security and geopolitical equations. Yet powerful ideas and extra ordinary leaders- with exceptional integrity and resilience- can transform these at accelerated pace. There is enormous and persistent poverty of leaders with these qualities in entire political space of India.
Leader of Opposition of the country, also tried to hijack this agitation for his own agenda to change the Government or replace the Prime Minister. Of course, it is his right to act in this direction and nurture such aspiration. But any change in Government without any serious and credible vision or blue-print for improvement in the governance apparatus does not inspire confidence. He claimed that all security personnel, even while dragging him during his brief sit in at Prime Minister’s residence, whispered in his ears to topple the incumbent Government. This is possible.
But many critics of the Government have perennially described LoP as the biggest source of strength of the present Government. His sibling and her spouse had once been touted as the biggest symbol of nepotistic and crony corruption. Many believe that, despite a fairly formidable army of volunteers of this party, the Government itself might have invited him to join the agitation to take the sting out of the student agitation. At least a section of Indians still dread the return of Vadranomics despite all extra ordinary personal qualities of the Leader of Opposition, whose grace, decency and civility remain unparalleled in Indian political space.
But at this juncture of history, a large country like India needs statesman-like vision, integrity and courage from any challenger to the Govt. Only a genuine campaign to reconstruct and re-build more powerful institution that history has ever seen can extricate India from its current challenges. Sadly, the entire Indian political space badly lacks such idea or leaders with such vision, credibility and acceptability.
Something like paper a leak in an examination, or any crisis of this nature or a brutal state oppression, is manifestation of larger dysfunctionality of systems. Where corruption, dishonesty and disdain toward masses have become a way of life for people with access to power and authority.
Systems have been rendered helpless because the most offenders enjoy political or criminal patronage. They cannot be prevented and deterred by the routine functioning of the state. If few spirited incumbents in civil service or police or judiciary attempt to stop such criminals and stand by people or seek to uphold long-term interests of the nation, they face vehement all-round clandestine multi-faceted covert war. These vary from narrative warfare to public defamation by a pliable media to economic strangulation to physical intimidation and assault and even beyond. Ironically, entire political class appears on same page against such crusaders and Judiciary more often acts as passive approver, if not active collaborator. This is indeed dangerous for long-term sanctity of institutions as well as our progressive evolution as a state, society and civilisation.
Even a rigged and oppressive system, always maintains space for VVIPs who can get certain things done through their power and authority. At time the highest functionaries of the state appear the biggest patron of forces subverting rule of law. Hence, wherever stakes are high for these VVIPs or the patrons of system, smaller subversives - out of their deference towards their patrons or for the sake of their own survival- may relent or conceded in certain instances. But this does not change the basic character of the system and offer no guarantee against other disguised or open injustices.
Hence, there is a strong possibility that some of the paper leak offenders may get punished in this case. There is no guarantee that paper leak shall stop permanently or India's educational system shall get better.
Latest media reports suggest that initial suspected kingpins in NEET paper leak have been given clean chit by CBI. Going by my familiarity with the culture of loyalty among a section of cops and judiciary towards rulers that they may definitely punish some people but those need not be real culprits.
However, such isolated punishments are no solution to dysfunctional institutions. Besides, this is not the only challenge facing the education system or our youth of the nation. India needs a comprehensive and total re-think on agenda and strategy of governance to put people at the centre instead of few VIPs or families or corporates or civil servants.
A decade back, the country had witnessed massive agitation over Nirbhaya assault case. Yet that did not stop the wider trend of such brutal and heinous assaults on the women of the country. Many powerful members from ruling and even non-ruling political parties, among others, have faced charges of brutalising women.
Unless state attempts to address the underlying causes of a crisis, which is a fundamentally flawed political-governance-bureaucratic-judicial and social-economic order, such larger sufferings and injustice, and worse shall remain inevitabilities.
Need to Build Robust Institutions
The biggest challenge facing India faces at this stage of its evolution is sub-optimal, deficient and poor governance. Assault on integrity and efficacy of key state institutions is not monopolised by any particular political party. The political systems and political parties in their current form pose the biggest threat to integrity and efficacy of institutions, especially amidst the pressure of larger global ecosystem that appears highly exploitative to developing nations like ours.
Despite all positive contributions by Indians in different spheres of human existence, the existing political-governance model is the primary cause for governance failures and humanitarian crises that we keep facing. In fact, political class - within the existing parameters - can do very little to address most governance failures or offer a strategic solution to our challenges. They are more obsessed with grabbing power through every possible means.
They cannot be faulted for the same because each are involved in the same and there are no effective regulations or barriers. Clandestine subversion of integrity of governance institutions by political cliques and cartels are inescapable necessities for survival of this political model. We need a serious transformation in the entire political-economic-governance processes in our democracy. Hence, unless the political class builds a larger consensus on quality of regulations on political competition as well as invites and invests powerful ideas towards institution building and protection of sanctity institutions, our challenges, difficulties and woes shall persist.
Road To Future
Popular mass movements in journey of a state and civilisation offer avenues for course correction and remedial measures. But it depends upon a culture of wider sagacity and integrity as well as a higher degree of trust among all key stakeholders.
Irrespective of what happens from here, I can only say that this is an opportunity for bigger reforms in our entire governance system. Probably, many segments of state and society shall be more amenable to larger changes in wake of this youth movement. The ongoing youth movement has brought about a rare opportunity for entire society.
Government of the day must not hesitate in sacrificing few of its political associates as well. Incumbents in bureaucracy and media need to search their soul with greater integrity. It can also be an opportunity to both co-opt and yet silence political opposition by making bolder concessions to the people while striking at political opportunists and parasites. But ultimate objective of stateman like ruthlessness has to be larger good of the nation and a civilisation.
No individual is more important than stability of the systems and credibility of the Government. No Govt appears weak by being amenable to popular sentiments.
I have always maintained that the gravest threat to a large state seldom emanates from invading armies. It is more often the silent and unnoticed capture of state institutions by self-seeking cartels for their own private gains. Such a phenomenon gradually erodes not only the credibility of state but retards the quality of progress and evolution of entire state and society.
Such dynamics, if unchecked and unremedied, can lead to situation where the very capacity of state to protect and uphold its most critical interests- including its long-term stability and security, as well life, liberty and dignity of its citizens- can be paralysed. This is what has perennially defined the decay, degeneration and downfall of big powers and empires.
Institutional capture is a reality in India. Larger wellbeing of the people and the nation require infusion of credibility and efficacy in all our institutions. Political and administrative class of the nation need utmost innovation to devise least painful and yet effective ways to bolster capacity of our institutions. They must build larger consensus on the same. That alone can prevent, preempt and deter humanitarian and man- made crises in all domains of governance.
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