Abstract
The People of India: New Indian Politics in the 21st Century, edited by Ravinder Kaur and Nayanika Mathur, is a substantial contribution offering a lucid and ‘critical’ exploration of post-modern political dynamics in ‘new’ India. Kaur and Mathur have underscored the complex and vibrant nature of Indian politics, stressing India’s political trajectory and the role the ‘people’ played in the political machinery. As the rich historical legacy of India with multifaceted political identities finds itself in a ‘space of aporia’ after the state adopted neoliberal policies, the essays invite readers to adopt a refreshing perspective when engaging with everyday politics, discussing ongoing development, or analysing Indian politics. Satish Deshpande’s forward suggests that the contributors have encapsulated the metrics for assessing political shifts in both the pre-Modi and post-pandemic periods, making the book ‘timely’. Also, this phenomenal collection gives a glimpse of India’s political transformation as it enters its 76th year of independence.
The book interprets India’s democracy as being sensitive to transformation due to the influence of an autocratic regime that strategically manipulates moral and religious factors. The scholarly contributions of Ravinder Kaur and Nayanika Mathur and 12 other Asian scholars are commendable due to their ambitious and influential analysis of India’s convoluted political environment. Nevertheless, the study encounters difficulties in achieving a harmonious equilibrium between providing a comprehensive overview and conducting an in-depth analysis. The editors’ approach to theorization as a philosophical pursuit, particularly in political analysis, requires not just a bird’s eye view but a more profound theoretical foundation and a more nuanced understanding, which seems lacking in some essays. In their attempt to capture the panoramic expanse of the political landscape, the authors need to extend and expand the collaborative project and develop more volumes of the book. While a critique is intrinsic to any philosophical treatise, the narrative here seems to bear undue weight against right-wing political ideologies in some essays.
The contributors have taken the overarching themes of populist politics further and interrogate the triad of ‘grassroots, state roots and nation roots’, exploring how the political thinkers originally envisioned India and how political and non-political actors have moulded the evolving landscape of present-day India. The titular terms ‘new’ and ‘the people’ are brought under the spotlight as Ornit Shani questions the true definition of ‘the people’ in India by examining the philosophical essence of the Indian Constitution. Following the 2019 protests against the National Register of Citizens, the author delves into the idea of rights and citizenship. Shani underlines the tribals’ urge for identity and rights, noting that many remain unprivileged even today, as seen in the ongoing violent conflicts between Meitei and Kuki in Manipur. Amid the backdrop of the political situation and its tilt towards majoritarianism, India’s democratic vision appears under threat.
The topics covered in the anthology encompass a wide range, including the influence of colonial political ideologies on Rajniti (politics), the actions of politicians, street protests, enduring memories, and the emerging trends in informal politics that visibly impact India’s current political scenario. However, two themes that dominate the anthology are the ideologies of our great visionaries who chalked out a political and intellectual framework for India and the remarkable role played by ‘the people’ in opening a platform for resistance, thereby leading to a ‘new’ India.
The first theme is charted out in the essay by Suraj Yengde, who underlines Ambedkar’s vision of an egalitarian nation and how the political players overshadow it. Besides being appropriated by caste politics, many of Ambedkar’s ideas, like ‘Dalitsthan’ (dignified Dalit space) and distinct electorates, are sidelined. Sharika Thiranagama, in her essay, continues this line of thought and draws from Ambedkar’s notion that caste is not merely about labour but the labourer. She intricately weaves the Marxist, Dalit, and caste discourses around agricultural labour issues, emphasizing that many hail from marginalized communities while agricultural labourers form the backbone of India’s agrarian fabric. Their experiences, marked by societal subjugation in a democratic India, underscore the pressing need for genuine social democracy.
Within the same thematic framework, Gandhi’s role in Indian politics is reviewed and analysed by Faisal Devji in his essay, argues that Gandhi’s selection of Nehru as his political successor was not a random decision but rather a deliberate choice based on Nehru’s ability to align with Gandhi’s ideological discourse. The essay also unveils Gandhi’s paradoxical stance on individual freedom and violence. In another essay, Gyan Prakash dissects the roles of Gandhian figures in post-colonial India, spotlighting luminaries like Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) and Anna Hazare through the lens of the ‘politician-saint’ concept. JP’s advocacy of ‘total revolution’ is central to the discourse, a Gandhian-inspired movement in the 1970s. Prakash draws parallels between JP’s 1974–1975 youth mobilization against Indira Gandhi and Anna Hazare’s twenty-first-century anti-corruption movement, highlighting their associations, strategies and narratives of dissent.
Talking about the narratives of dissent, the book brings out the portraits of various non-political players who constitute ‘the people’ of ‘new’ India. This makes the book exceptional as it recounts ‘the people’ who are becoming the present-day change-makers. These people comprise the heart of new democratic politics and are variedly accounted as Kisan, Bhakt, Aam Aadmi, the old woman and such key activists who emerge from the lanes and streets of the country. In the purview of this theme, the essay by Lawrence Cohen builds on the cogent role played by Bilkis Dadi’s protests in Shaheen Bagh to resist the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. The essay delves into these women’s multifaceted roles, from holders of identity markers like Aadhaar and voter cards to staunch defenders of the Constitution. Another important player brought out in the book is the karyakarta (party worker), social worker or volunteer, which has profound implications for modern Indian politics and broader socio-political structures. Thomas Blom Hansen categorizes these activists into retrieval, transformation and protection activism. He highlights the deepening roots of activism across diverse societal sections, especially among marginalized communities, as articulated from a Dalit perspective: ‘everybody votes here, everybody is in politics’ (p. 100). While political outcomes may fluctuate and activism may be likened to a vital vein, it remains essential in sustaining and invigorating the nation’s intellectual health and consciousness.
The book further underscores the emerging trends of street politics and nuances of national farmers’ protests for repealing ‘black laws’ imposed by the government to hand over food security and agriculture to private players. Navyug Gill’s chapter probes the multifariousness of the Indian farmer’s stance amid anti-agriculture law protests. Rather than merely being India’s nourishers, farmers hold a central role in its politics. The 2020–2021 national farmers’ protest that marks a paradigm shift in Indian politics is brilliantly laid out.
Within the narrative of ‘the people’, another fascinating political lexicon is introduced by Ravinder Kaur that makes the book an exceptional guide to the political silhouette of New India. Kaur introduces the conceptualization of ‘bhakt’ within the contours of Indian politics, emphasizing its influence on the current government’s approach to India’s diverse societal fabric. Kaur posits that this bhakt phenomenon, deeply entrenched in social media, aids in crafting ‘Brand Modi’. It is characterized by subtle indoctrination, unwavering loyalty, and keen faith, leaning heavily towards Hindu nationalism.
Taking this discussion further, Kesavan’s (2017) term ‘Lynch Mob Republic’ for India is astutely expounded by Nusrat S. Chaudhary in her essay. She highlights the rampant violence against Dalits, Muslims and other religious minorities, and tribals in the shadow of rising hatred for minorities. In her essay, the incidents recounted underscore a disturbing trend: violence against Dalit minorities appears to have become a ‘new normal’ in Indian politics, especially as the Hindu majoritarian government rises to power. These narratives underscore the current government’s role in the decay of India’s democratic framework and its devastating impact on the ethics of humanity.
In another insightful essay by Srirupa Roy, the historiography of ‘political outsider’ and its pertinent influence on contemporary Indian politics is examined. With a touch of irony, she characterizes figures ranging from millionaires and media barons to film stars and academicians as outsiders. While they might not be directly involved in electoral politics, their behind-the-scenes influence on political leadership is undeniable. There is also a subcategory of ‘quasi-political outsiders’, exemplified by figures like Sanjay Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narayan, who wielded significant influence from the margins. This raises concerns about representative democracy’s efficacy in truly representing and being accountable to its citizenry.
The concept of ‘sarkar’, discussed and analysed by Nayanika Mathur, adds another excellent edge to the book’s prism. This somewhat nuanced term is engaged brilliantly as Mathur elaborates on this local political game-play with companion signifiers like paper, law, chair, cart, jeep and blanket. Along with analysing this style of governance, Mathur draws a satirical parallel between the present mode of governance and Amitabh Bachchan’s role in the film ‘Sarkar’. The author underscores the transformation of democratic structures into autocratic mechanisms. Within the discussion on style of governance, Aradhna Sharma’s essay offers a biting critique on this topic. Sharma highlights the contrasts of the governance styles of Modi and Kejriwal. While the former leverages terms like Su-Raj (self-governance) and ‘minimum government maximum governance’ to advance a Hindu-centric neoliberal vision emphasizing manufacturing and entrepreneurship, the latter, influenced by Gandhian ideology, champions Swaraj, underscoring participatory and decentralized self-governance.
Besides the significant themes engaged with and scrutinized, Kajri Jain’s essay presents a pertinent issue that latently maps the nation. Jain delves into the current obsession with ‘Statuomania’ that characterizes the Indian political machinery. She elucidates the nexus between politics and religion, emphasizing how the magnitude of monuments—both in size and grandeur—plays a pivotal role. Tracing the historical trajectory of monumentalization, the author reveals its enduring significance in Indian political history. It juxtaposes the seductive allure of monumental symbolism, which can be wielded by authoritarian tendencies, against a philosophical warning: the pursuit of unity should not compromise the essence of freedom.
The lack of prescriptive solutions or tentative forward paths leaves a void for readers seeking to understand and navigate the labyrinth of Indian politics. Although critique is fundamental to philosophical discourse, this narrative disproportionately focuses on right-wing political ideologies, particularly offering a one-sided critique of the Modi regime in some essays. The book offers a vast tableau of India’s political scene, but it could have been enriched by adopting a more philosophically rigorous approach that is both expansive and incisive, providing a balanced and objective critique. Notably, this volume would serve as a guide to the evolving political lexicon of contemporary India. Through a collection of thought-provoking essays, it presents nuanced portraits of key democratic participants, ranging from the Kisan (farmer) and Bhakt (devotee) to the Aam Aadmi (commoner), elderly women, and, of course, the politically marginalized subalterns and communities. The editors have contributed a vital resource that not only marks the emergence of a new era in Indian politics but also has the potential to attract a broad spectrum of readers. This work is indeed indispensable for anyone seeking to understand the dynamic political landscape of New India.