Democracy, as famously said, is a rule of the people, by the people, for the people. Though a very lucid definition, if interpreted narrowly, this can be used to justify the most heinous of crimes and can play havoc with our social fabric. Lets take some examples to understand this.
Case 1: Nazi Germany - A leader with a huge popular support puts Germany on fast track of development. However, a democracy where majority is everything, the minority (the Jews) suffers the most despicable and horrible extermination recorded in human history. Is this acceptable in democracy?
Case 2: Current Switzerland - A nation famous for its Direct Democracy model. However not many people around the world know the plight suffered by the silent minority of Switzerland - the Muslims. They are not allowed to make mosques, have no religious freedom and must lead a silent life without asserting their identity. Is this acceptable in democracy?
Case 3: Malaysia - The case of HINDRAF, the organisation of minority Hindus in Malaysia, is now well documented in newspapers. These people face a lifelong legal discrimination in their own country just because they are a minority in Muslim majority Malasia. Is this acceptable in democracy?
Case 4: New Delhi - The lieutinant general of Delhi asks for identity card to be carried by every one in Delhi. The due date for compliance was just 3 weeks after the announcement. Again, the majority regular educated Delhite has no trouble. It is the uneducated workers from Bihar & UP who feel the pain. These people, though a lot in quantitative numbers, have absolutely no voice in Delhi because most of them are not enrolled in Delhi voter list. So there is no Delhi politician to talk for them. Does democracy grant power to Delhites to make any law without keeping the lot of the daily wage labourers in consideration?
We see that if interpreted narrowly, democracy can turn out to be no better than communism - fear of an all powerful majority or state for every individual. Because everybody belongs to a minority community in one classification or the other. Imagine what would happen if all the illiterates in India unite and vote for an illiterate Prime Minister, who orders the next day for all schools, academic institutions, R&D establishments etc to be shut down. Do you believe in this kind of a democracy?
I hope not. And thats the reason why Democracy can not be interpreted merely as a rule of majority. An equally important aspect of Democracy is Individual Liberty & Rights. Freedom of an individual, regardless of sex, religion, beliefs, sexual orientation or education, to live life on his/her own terms. Freedom not to be afraid of majority. It is precisely this freedom that Jews under Hitler, Muslims in Switzerland, Hindus in Malaysia (and in Bangladesh & Pakistan), workers in Delhi lack. It is also this same freedom that West Bengal government took away from Tasleema Nasreen, that Indian government took away from M F Hussain, that Congress took away from Sikhs after Indira Gandhi assassination and now finally, that Modi had taken away from Muslims in Gujrat.
Decide for yourself what kind of democracy you want. Remember always, everyone belongs to one minority group or other, including you!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
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