A natural king or leader is free from any complex about his predecessor, rival, or subordinate. He does not fear that his shine will fade because of anyone. A fake monarch is afraid of being seen as inferior. He dislikes even his talented minister or if his minister has a good secretary. This petty mentality is the identity of a fake monarch. He’s always suspicious, and looks for drab allies so that only his spectacle is visible. The BJP defends all its misdeeds by giving the example of the Congress. It’s an unconscious acceptance that the real monarch is the Congress. A fake, an imposter, can only imitate.
The story of a fight between two women each claiming a child as her own is famous. The mediator suggested a solution: cut the child in half and divide between yourselves. Then one of the women screamed and said don’t cut my child, give the child to the other. This is how we knew who the real mother was.
It is a bit of an exaggeration to compare our two main political parties fighting for power to those two women. But one’s behaviour reflects the rulers’ pedigree and class, while the other lacks it. In fake monarchs, one can see cowardice, pretense, escapism, sometimes boasting, crying or singing. Even after sitting on the throne, they do not exude dignity or confidence. Despite all the efforts to cover up weaknesses with pomp and show, fear remains inside. This is reflected in their words, actions, expressions and gestures.
This is not a matter of good or bad rule or mere pedigree. Some royal families can rule badly, and some sons of slaves can rule well. It is about the character one exudes.
Congressmen appear to be royal. Generous, cunning, liking for courtiers, with regular virtues and vices. But they do not have any doubts about themselves. Even after leaving the throne, their rulers’ sentiments remain intact. Whereas, in the leaders coming from BJP, especially RSS, pretence and timidity are often seen. To most of their having an official positions is the beginning and the end of their ambition. They do not know how to live with respect after losing the office. It is also visible from the condition of their leaders who have lost office. Even their followers stop caring about them. So, they try keep a hold on the chair at all costs. No matter how low one has to stoop for it.
Congressmen also engage in underhand dealings, but they do so with a regal demeanor, always mindful of everyone’s respect. They never appear mean, cowardly, crude, unnecessarily arrogant, or insulting to others. All top Congress leaders have always been natural well-mannered, respectful of opponents and to those with differing opinions, never treating in an offensive manner.
Due to their narrow mindset, the RSS-BJP people consider every critic or ally with a different opinion to be corrupt or greedy. As if differing opinions or objections can’t result from independent thinking. This attitude is a sign of narrow-mindedness.
For them, holding onto power, whether in an organisation or public office, is essential. They are willing to throw away their self-respect for it. They consider those without power to be worthless, and once they gain power, they see themselves as highly competent. They lecture, direct, or insult everyone. Even someone with questionable education feels entitled to lecture scholars and scientists. Yet, they are so poor at defending their own actions and words that they always avoid the media.
This is not seen in Congress members. Even in difficult situations, they face the media. They form advisory councils of experts and respect their advice, sometimes even giving them top positions. They never doubt their own leadership. They give academic and high positions to scholars and allow them to work independently. They don’t ‘control’ them by assigning uncouth party workers to oversee them. Only a foolish king would do that, not realising that if a subordinate does well, the king gets the credit. Congress members naturally respect intellectuals, artists, etc. and value their independence. A true leader does not feel envy, insecurity, or stinginess toward their own subordinates.
Most RSS-BJP members have a tendency to just spend time in their official positions. They don’t have ideas or plans of their own. This is a desire for “office, not power.” It’s the mark of a phony royal. A fake leader avoids using power, dealing with the state’s enemies, or taking tough decisions. They consider just staying in their seat as achievement. But to do something only after saving one’s skin and chair, or else nothing, is a lowly, negative attitude.
Two top leaders of Congress sacrificed themselves by doing right and wrong things with their natural royal attitude. On the other side, even those having endured minor prison hardships for action have been missing. Their tendency is to keep themselves comfortable first (in the name of saving the ‘organisation’, ‘party’, etc.).
So, taking and enjoying the office has been their basic mantra. Most of their people work tirelessly for positions, building, raising funds, touring the country and abroad, organising useless but expensive jamboree. But towards meaningful, difficult social/political tasks, their tendency is to postpone it with ifs and buts, making excuses, or putting the blame on others. Even if they spend decades in office, their entire lifetime, they’d never risk disturbing their comfort! Whereas, making risky decisions is a natural ruler’s quality. This is sorely lacking in Hindus in general, and in Sangh Parivar leaders in particular.
Similarly, ignoring supporters to appease critics is also a sign of a weak mind. Besides, they habitually say things that won’t upset anyone powerful. In fact, evidence of fake character is seen at every step; no need to look hard for it.
So, completing the metaphor of the story, let us say that the Sangh-BJP leaders have torn their so-called ideology to pieces like the fake mother in the fable. They adopted Nehruvian secularism, Gandhism, the leftist habit of rich-poor divide, Lohiaite casteism, and now even praising the third gender. They have forgotten all the original teachings of Dr. Hedgewar and Golwalkar. Their books have been discarded or made to disappear, so that the betrayal can be hidden! Like a false mother, they cling to power using false pretences and desire to keep it forever.
In comparison, the Congressmen, like real kings, always maintained their own stance, their secularism, and Gandhi-Nehruvian ideals. Despite Nehru’s many erroneous ideas, they continued to proudly propagate all his books. None was repudiated.
Leaders of the RSS-BJP, as soon as they got the scent of power thirty years ago, were eager to shed their remaining inhibitions. Many original principles were already abandoned when the Jan Sangh was dissolved. Afterwards shamelessly courted Muslims, formed their ‘Muslim Manch’, built mosques, cheered for the Prophet, celebrating his birthday, bowed down to Arab rulers, ingratiated themselves to them, flaunted Muslim friends and frequenting to mosques, allocated a significant portion of public resources to Muslims – all while patting themselves for it on the back! They also publicly chastised their own leaders’ Hindu sentiments. In other words, they did everything that would have horrified Dr. Hedgewar and Golwalkar.
But, despite their flawed secularism, Congressmen never displayed such showy love for Islam. It wasn’t in their nature. It’s also meaningful that the BJP defends all its misdeeds by citing the example of the Congress. It’s an unconscious admission that the real monarch is Congress. An impostor can only imitate. That’s why Congress members never went to put chaadar on the tomb of Moinuddin Chishti, or sang hosannas for the Prophet Muhammad and Quran, or flattered Arab rulers. They were the real kings. Power was natural for them, a matter of having to use. They wouldn’t stoop to grab it like an usurper, and then cling to it by any means necessary.
[The author Shankar Sharan is a Hindi columnist and professor of political science. He tweets @hesivh. Views are personal. This article was originally published on the Naya India website]
