December 2018

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
WORLD
December 2018
23
V P SINGH : The man who gave the
biggest jolt to politics of dominance
At the time when we are facing difficult
political situation and even when
the people of the country seems to have
made up their mind to defeat the sectarian
communal forces, the political parties
seems to be still calculating their
petty interests and not focusing on joining
hand to defeat the forces against our
constitution and civility. Not that they
should not think about their interests but
it is equally important to look at the
broader issues of endangered polity and
how can they fight it together.
Many corrupt deals at the highest
level have been exposed. The message
is going to the people that a few corporate
have gained yet corruption still has
not become the major issue today. The
reason for this are simple. The people
who are raising it, may be new but have
a lot of burden of their legacies of the
past from which they have benefited
and hence unless if they are unable to
take an unbiased stand on that, it would
be difficult.
Today we are remembering a man
who passed on in silence when Mumbai
saw an attack on its identity on
November 26, 2008, and people and
media were glued to watch live the terrorist
attempt to attack our constitution,
the man who had influenced India’s
polity more than any one else at least in
the independent India, passed away in
Delhi without much knowledge of the
media and people. Yes, V P Singh went
into silence permanently on November
27th without much remembrance by
media as well as his associates who benefited
from him and his politics. V P
Singh created history everywhere he
went. And his fight against corruption
particularly against those who were
holding the high offices as well as
against the corrupt crony industrialists
gave country a hope. The people listened
to him and felt he was the genuinely
interested in eliminating corruption.
Corruption became the issue
of the people. Many ‘experts’ feel
that Bofors was not a big scandal
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
social and human rights activist
and they are correct if we compare
it to the alleged corruption in the
Rafale deal or any other deals but we
need to understand as why despite a
huge scandal this has not become the
major issue among the masses. Are the
people asking questions on Rafale as
they were during the Bofors time.
Perhaps not that much.
To understand this phenomena we
need to understand that there is no
magic wand to convert an issue into a
national obsession. V P Singh unlike
others was actually a politician whose
relationship with people was immense.
He was extraordinary simple and honest.
That apart, his access to common
karykartas and local political leaders,
student leaders, communities, intellectuals,
civil society people made him
remarkably a different person. In the
post emergency India, there are very
few political leaders who had respect
for intellectuals and creative persons
and VP was one among them. As the
polity became too individualistic and
politicians became brand themselves,
the other things disappeared. Party
became the main thing while promoting
and encouraging young leaders side
tracked. I have not seen after that when
political leaders were engaged directly
with students and encouraging young
leaders to join politics. So much happened
in the past four years. Our campuses
were on fire and there was a huge
resentment but who organisesd this
huge chunk of youngsters dissatisfied
with the current system. Where is the
link between the civil society, the intellectuals
and students leaders. Those
who should have been doing it are silent
while those who want to change constitution
and do away with it, have been
engaged dong it.
The parties of social justice and those
who are dedicated to the ideals of
Ambedkar, Lohia and other legends
need to engage more with civil society
organisations, intellectuals, students and
communities to create new leadership.
We need multiplicity of
leaders and not merely
those few who can fight
elections. The world is
changing and can not be
confined to those who
contest a few elections. It
is much bigger than that.
The crisis today is of
the highly inaccessibility
of the political class.
Count any of the great
leaders of our time and
you will find few things
in common. You may
agree or disagree with
them but their connect
with masses remained.
They created new leaders,
from absolutely
untested one and provided
opportunities.
Ideologically they were
clear. You
can count
very few of
them. V P
Singh was
one among
them. Late
Kanshiram
created the
whole movement and
absolutely dedicated
team of Ambedkarite all
over the country. All this
does not come without a
clear and unambiguous
ideology. That apart, all
of them remained
absolutely uncorrupted.
None could purchase
them. They remained
humble to the core.
So, if the issue of corruption
has to be a major
issue then the communication
too is important.
The communicator
should too be clear in
absolute term whether he
would be selective in
choosing target or would
talk about himself. V P
remained honest in his
personal lives because if
todays leaders who are deep neck in
corruption want to speak about it, people
dont listen to them. Rahul is young
and making efforts but they fall short
because of Congress Party’s own track
record have never been that clean particularly
after Indira Gandhi. Nehruvian
Congress was not merely secular but
also ideologically committed and clean
unlike the gangs promoted by Sanjay
Gandhi and like him.
The politics
changed afterwards.
The crisis of
being V P is many.
It is a lesson for all.
One, when we
fight ideological
battle, it is difficult.
You wont get
many. In our society,
most of our allegiance
to our people
is our caste, community, religious and
regional linkages and associations. If
you venture beyond this then you might
get isolated. V P Singh ventured beyond
that and lost in the din of noise of politics
which became a family venture or
private limited companies with chamchas
all around. He did not have a
strong party network. I tried to cobble
together various groups and parties but
that will only work when any one has a
The crisis today is of the highly
inaccessibility of the political class. Count
any of the great leaders of our time and you will
find few things in common. You may agree or
disagree with them but their connect with masses
remained. They created new leaders, from
absolutely untested one and provided opportunities.
Ideologically they were clear. You can
count very few of them. V P Singh was one
among them. Late Kanshiram created the whole
movement and absolutely dedicated team of
Ambedkarite all over the country.
feeling of coming
to power
otherwise
these associations
are
bound to
fail.
It is
important
for all of us
to learn from
the experiences,
failure
and success
stories of all those who matter in our
political lives. Attempt have been made
by people to ignore and forget V P
Singh but perhaps his relevance will
remain as ever and none can deny his
space in the history of India as a leader
who changed the destinies of millions
and gave the brahmanical polity the
unrecoverable jolt of its life.