Ranjona Banerji: And, that's how democracy works

Elections are just one way of having a democracy. Others are holding oneu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s elected representatives to account, asking questions, demanding rights

The guardians of Parliament, who claim to eschew all party allegiances in their 'non-partisan' jobs, will not allow the TDP's no-confidence motion against the government to be brought to the House. Pic/PTI

Things fall apart. No matter how big and strong you appear to be. No matter how large you claim your chest size is. No matter the size of your majority strength in Parliament. Things fall apart. We have farmers on the streets, students on the streets, job applicants on the streets.

We have former allies trying to move a no-confidence motion against a government they have just pulled out of. But, the guardians of Parliament, who claim to eschew all party allegiances in their 'non-partisan' jobs, will not allow the motion to be brought to the House. The weak excuse is that the Speaker cannot hear anything in the 'din' being created by members of the AIADMK, who are in the well of the House, demanding a Cauvery water management board.

We'll get back to the AIADMK in a moment. Because, oddly enough, the Speaker could hear very well through the "din" during the passing of the Union Budget. She heard so well that she allowed the Budget and all its amendments to be passed without any discussion. That is, our elected representatives were not allowed to have any say in what happens
with our money. The government wants, the government gets. Because, it won an election. And, if we the people are that foolish to believe that is the way democracy works, do we deserve any better?

Back to the AIADMK, which, since the untimely death of its leader, J Jayalalithaa, in December 2016, has been a fractured lost party. After various factions staked claim and some were sent to jail, the party's puppet strings have been pulled by the BJP from New Delhi. Therefore, for the Speaker to be unable to control the AIADMK is believable only for those who will believe anything.

How can the government allow this no-confidence motion? It came to power on a massive wave, promising enormous change. It would fix everything wrong with the country and Narendra Modi was the only man to do it. Many rode along this wave for two-and-a-half years, closing their eyes to lacklustre budgets, lack of economic growth, lack of investment and a rise in attacks on Dalits, Muslims, Christians, liberals, intellectuals, thinkers, writers and scholars. Anyone who disagreed was pilloried and tagged as an anti-national. Institutions were being destroyed from within. But, the good days were coming. "Give him/them a chance" was the mantra.

In November 2016, the Prime Minister announced his "masterstroke" and in one fell swoop, gleefully announced the disruption that was demonetisation. For all the joy of the faithful, in spite of immediate evidence to the contrary, it is now evident that demonetisation was no masterstroke at all, unless destruction was the objective.
The Uttar Pradesh assembly election results early last year were boastful evidence that everything was fine, the country loved the government and its actions. Because winning elections is the only objective of any government, right?

Do you still believe that? Because when it's convenient, election results do not matter. Like the close shave for the BJP in the Gujarat assembly elections. Or like the BJP and its allies losing most by election seats in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Or in Rajasthan and in Madhya Pradesh. Those election results are based on sentiment, anti-nationals, terrorists and so on. Only patriots vote for the BJP, which means that in May 2014, 69 per cent of India were anti-nationals.

Forget all that, too, if you like. Get distracted by our "patriotic" news channels blaming the Opposition for the situation in Parliament. Watch them deflect attention from the government now informing India that the 39 Indians held hostage in Iraq were dead all along, in spite of the various assurances of their being alive given to us by the Union External Affairs minister for three years.

The Opposition is to blame here as well, one assumes, for the lies told by a government milking tragedy to cover its own incompetence. If we keep sticking our heads into those convenient wells of deception and deflection, you can kiss goodbye to democracy. Despots manage to "win" elections across the globe. Elections are only one way to have a flourishing democracy. The other ways include holding one's elected representatives to account. Asking questions. Demanding your rights. The bells of alarm are ringing loudly. Time to take that "patriotic" cotton wool out of your ears.

Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist. You can follow her on Twitter @ranjona Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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