History is very powerful – not just conceptually – but emotionally, logically and politically. It hangs on the mind and shapes the mindset. We may even be getting influenced by it – even without realizing its power to shape us. Some might say we are scared of the ghosts! But ghosts are scary – isn’t it?
In India of our times – we have seen this happen over and over again – as if schematically. The (unfortunate) religious divide that led to creation of an Islamic nation being carved out from the british India. The post partition trauma – that saw on both sides riots and killings based on religious divide.
And worst of all – the bitter memories that keeps hanging, troubling, making us feel agitated, ashamed, superior, unfortunate – all at the same time.
Religious Islam itself was not sufficient to manage a country – though it might have been a potent force of nationalism. Pakistan, post independence was tormented by tribalism, bengali nationalism and terror fundamentalism – that democratic institutions could not develop. Perhaps, the crisis was so severe that even though an Islamic state – for most of its post independence it was ruled by the ‘secular’ military regimes. However, the brute military force only insensitised the people to the extent that propaganda mixed with fundamentalist Islam only created a make-belief history sowing hatred for neighbouring India.
India was no different. The constitutional warp of Secularism, and socialsim of make belief equality would last only in theory and political posturing. Hardly would that get seeped into the grassroot realities. Moreover – India was haunted not just by everyday religious realities but also by caste. The ‘Hindutva’ parties tried to mobilize people on basis of religion, cutting across caste divide. But in reality – these parties only remained ‘urbanised’ phenomenon – thrown off by the voters at drop of hat.
Infact recent history of the BJP rule (the NDA coalition) would seem that it had defied each and every promises – on which it was voted to power. Whether it be a corruption free government (alternate of ‘corrupt’ Congress rule), building of the temple at Ayodhya (- for which they had moved heaven and earth through rath yatras – the issue even led to violence and riots at various places), economic nationalism (and in reality – the BJP rule was the most lassez faire rule of the recent times leading to privatisation of various state owned enterprises – they had turned the New Economic Policy of Manmohan Singh topsy turvy), no flexibility with terrorism (and in their time happened Kandhar – which showed the BJP as the spineless and awkward rulers), they promised freedom from fear (and Gujarat riots happened – their CM did not even resign!) and worst of all they lived in the make belief world of television advertising with campaigns of “Shining India”.
Though BJP was promptly voted out of power – the Congress – the tried and tested ‘rulers’ of post independent India did not have their hands clean either. The various incidents of past would continue to haunt them continuously – like their blundering on Kashmir post independence, their China policy in lates 50s and early 60s, the Emergency rule, the anti Sikh riots of 1984, foreign policy bunglings like Tamil Tigers, among others.
The recent incidents in BJP where they have expelled Jaswant Singh for his praising Jinnah in a book written by him – only shows that the circle of history continues unabated. That some parties who would continue to base themselves on such basis would itself come to be haunted by the ghosts of history.
It is indeed ironic and interesting that the very party that keeps on harping to Hindu religion for its power – and at drop of hat raise anti Pakistan and anti Islam voices – their leaders would praise Jinnah at different points of time. And it seems to me that the praise for Jinnah is not just a matter of Historical scholarship, not even political expediency – but some kind of delusion that has gripped these leaders -that they are neither able to sync with history nor sync with current realities. Its like re-writing History for re-writing sake! However – re-writing is not the issue – the point is that ‘such’ re-writing is coming from the ‘Hindutva’ leaders – and that is really fantastic and scary!
It is not just a matter of interpretation and re-interpretation. Whether it be Nehru, Patel, Jinnah or various other leaders during Freedom struggle – they were personalities in themselves. They have influenced in some way or other, our thought and ideas. And their various separate, collective, independent and cooperative efforts at different times of freedom struggle has helped in achievement of freedom. This might be the big picture -that hardly anyone would disagree.
However – the petty bickering on ‘who was great’ or ‘who was perhaps greater’ is something that is malaise of the ‘leaders’ of our times. It is perhaps a syndrome of lies, more lies and greater lies. The casualty are the common people who are drawn to such unnecessary debates. One could have understood if such debate were initiated by the specialist Historians (though that would not have made media sound-bytes).
But politicians initiating such debates? However, it is understandable in the context of BJP – which is a party obsessed with History – bending it, twisting it, even torturing it for its needs! It is even more fantastic to think that people who sympathize(d) with Jinnah are at the helm of BJP for so many years! So, what exactly is the (personal) ideology of the leaders of BJP – perhaps the recent events puts their personal integrity to question (something in tongue and something in stomach?).
One may even say that at least Pakistan is steadfast with its own ‘brand’ of History – still lingering on to its claims of Kashmir – and still sheltering its post independence tribal and fundamentalist viewpoint – which gets its rulers American dollars.
However, saner people at both sides of border would rather prefer a pragmatic present rather than a quagmired past. At times when both countries are still part of developing world – that leaders should be focusing on technology and betterment of people – infact making ‘current history’ – they are obsessed with past to such an extent that the present gets neglected – infact negated!
For India some might even say that Sonia Gandhi with her silence rocks! I can’t say that about Pakistan – perhaps its the Sufi music that rocks!
