People are not unreasonable. They have heart, compassion. Even when they are not aware of facts, they are amenable to reasons if the issues are presented dispassionately, objectively.
Then why should there be so many aversions, disputes, divides, hatred? It is not justifiable.
/1
People are fed and misled with mutilated and perverted opinions, views, misinformation covertly or overtly. They are inebriated, stupified with convoluted logic, narratives to convert their mindset, insecurities provoking their basic instincts, impulsive actions.
/2
It is not that the majority of people succumb to such designs, machinations but their silence, passivity against deliberate aggressive agenda set by tricksters, mischief-makers fail to prevent and stop but also allow them to spread causing incalculable damage to this country.
/3
We cannot get away by blaming others for our failure. That is escapism and we are also part of that majority even if not silent but failed to effectively counter it.
But when a majority of people failed it indicates that difficulties were not properly examined, addressed.
/4
It is not totally right to escape citing that the opponent captured the media, subjugated independent institutions; nothing is possible in such adverse circumstances; there is a leadership vacuum in the opposition ranks; people should change their attitude etc.
/5
Who are the people? That includes us. The people and the fascist are not going to change. It is unlikely to happen.
Are we going to wait till D-day? Have we examined, utilised, exhausted all possibilities that were or even presently available before us?
No is the blunt answer.
/6
The truth is it is a total and miserable failure on the part of everyone in the opposition or groups of people who know the dangers posed by the fascist.
Negativity is not going to solve the issue, save and bring back our democracy, but objectivity and application will.
/7
The above excerpts are part of my new blog post: ‘Defending democracy: What is the way out?'
Subhead: 'It is a collective failure'.
For full contents view my website.
Link: wp.me/p8Fpl7-f0
(962 words - 5 minutes read)
Behind the mixed signals which proliferate, corrupt perceptions and truth, an epic battle has started for liberating democracy and its incarceration by the fascists, vested interests.
Rahul is leading it. But it is we the people who are to fight to protect our values, freedom.
/1
Before independence, they were only aspiring for freedom and democracy. That always exist within all sections of Indian society.
But the post-independence generation has enjoyed its benefits. It is not easy to suppress, subjugate them. They will raise en masse to protect it.
/2
India is still not a mature democracy. It got diverted from that process by the opportunistic politicians and privileged people to serve their ends and supremacy.
The present tryst with fascism and crony capitalism will set right the path towards true democracy and freedom.
/3
The basic characteristics of individuals do not normally change. That is true for all characters whether negative or positive.
Rahul is also the same person, genial, warm, hearty, frank as he was earlier. But a negative perception was floating about him. It is changing now.
/1
How that wrong perception about Rahul was built? It is typical work of BJP/ RSS and the media bias even before 2014. Everyone had an agenda whether political or personal to spread hatred against the so-called dynasty while destroying democracy and paving the way for a fascist.
/2
The attempt was to weaken and destroy Congress and Rahul. They sowed seeds of doubts about Rahul and his leadership.
All political leaders including many Congress leaders worked against Rahul, openly or silently.
Congress structure was already weak. Rahul had to take his time.
/3
Making sense of confusing signals is becoming a difficult exercise with the widespread use of communication tools and the internet.
Some think they are smart to read between the lines. But they should also be aware fake news and falsehood are also planted between the lines.
/1
Falsehood diffuses significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth.
Identifying and eliminating what is irrelevant and fake is not so easy even for the so-called educated, literate or semi-literate individuals with worldly knowledge and experience.
/2
If this is for educated, one should not come to the conclusion that poor and uneducated cannot make sense of what is right and wrong.
They may be simple and unsophisticated but they apply their intuitions and heart. Their subconscious discerns the right and wrong characters.
/3
Modi thought his Bangladesh visit would help the BJP in Bengal. But every action has multiple effects in politics.
BJP had made ‘illegal infiltration’ a big issue in Assam. Shah built his entire campaign attacking AIUDF leader Ajmal for supporting infiltrators.
/1
Modi’s sweet talk in Dhaka blunted the edge of Shah’s emotive plank. His attacks on Ajmal sounded hollow as AIUDF leader tweeted and wished Modi a pleasant stay in Bangladesh; requested him to discuss the deportation of illegal immigrants, border sealing to stop infiltration.
/2
Modi has not raised these issues. Congress was uncomfortable with Shah’s focus on AIUDF, now feels Shah’s blusters on Ajmal sound like a joke.
BJP’s 8-phase polling for Bengal also helped Congress as it could delink Kerala allowing Rahul to enter Bengal later. It thanks BJP.
/3
Excerpts: Rahul’s brilliant interaction - with Prof. Ashutosh Varshney, faculty, students...
Part 5 -Topic: “Stop and look at yourself” Gandhiji.
It covers how Rahul looked at himself, the criticisms heaped on him by Modi/ BJP/ RSS; how their attack on his sense is a gift.
/1
Q
You said something really extraordinarily beautiful. But I think, this is you and ‘not necessarily the Congress party’. You have replaced the idea of Swaraj with the beautiful idea of shunyata and I want to know...
Rahul:
No no. You would be surprised, very very surprised.
/2
There are hundreds and hundreds of Congress workers who had this idea. The problem is they are not in power. They are there.
I can tell you name after name after name who is sitting there, literally doing harakiri, right - political. He is eating himself.
/3
Excerpts: Rahul’s brilliant interaction - with Professor Ashutosh Varshney, faculty, and students...
Part 4 - Topic: Understanding Gandhiji, Swarajya, Shunyata, Giving up power.
This is an interesting exploration, explanation by Rahul. Many may not be aware of. So sharing it.
/1
Q - Leela:
Mr Gandhi, the concept of Swaraj self-rule was of course a rallying cry for the Congress party in the early decades of the 20th century it was a slogan for independence from Imperial rule and as well as the source says, M K Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj.
/2
It expressed a highly original, ethical, spiritual vision of Indian democracy in which simply the powerful give up the right to rule over, dominate, oppress, injure the powerless, therefore men or women, the Hindu majority over various religious minorities, the rich over poor.
/3