India's Politics, A Modern MahaBharata

[Guest guest]

A new Mahabharata in the unfolding

By Dr K.S. Narayanacharya

 

At least hindsight is a must for those who have no foresight. For the

sightless Dhritha-rashtra of the epic Mahabharata and the progenies

in terms of visionless parties of today, someone like Sanjaya has to

interpret characters, situations and their meanings, for all times to

come.

 

Let us begin at the beginning. After the death of Lokamanya Tilak,

the real Congress of whatever value, use and relevance, really died.

Mahatma Gandhi with his inimitable eccentricities wanted some kind

of `fiefdom' for us under the British, as Aurobindo comments in a

letter. He forgot that India was not South Africa. His plunging the

country into the Khilafat movement and the assertion that khilafat

was more important than India's freedom is a pointer of his total

visionless view. Like the Bhishma of the epic, he was responsible for

the Partition of the country and its never ending consequences. Nehru

was imposed by him on this country while rest of the people

responsible for forming the government wanted Patel, as all his

biographies point out. A series of usurpers ruled the country like

Duryodhana, without being crowned. Two Prime Ministers and one `would-

have-been' paid their prices in terms of life for their own deeds.

This is nemesis, in spite of our sympathies for the dear departed.

Then there was life incognito for the Congress leaders for a while,

when the nation woke up to the light, and was in hiccups, requiring

fresh oxygen doses.

 

The NDA with a dominant BJP partner, emerged like the Pandavas from

exile, held power, stayed firmly in the saddle, did a number of brave

acts-Pokharan-II, improvement in external relations with super power,

huge Forex reserves, control of inflation, holding prices constant,

improvement of national image abroad, info-tech progress, and above

all, holding national honour high, and even trying to set the

national history right, free of prejudiced, pervert presumptions,

success in the Kargil war with an incorrigible neighbour (creation of

Gandhi-Nehru combine) and enormous military preparedness and so on.

This corresponds to the rajasuya stage of post Mahabharata.

 

Now the enemies of Dharma gather together under a modern Shakuni, who

ironically, bears Shri Krishna's name-Harekishan Singh Surjeet! They

realise that NDA if allowed to stay, will mean the end of their

selfish game. They arrange a new polarisation of political loyalties-

exactly like what happened in the epic, as Sri Aurobindo points out

in his Vyasa and Valmiki! DMK, LJP, PMK and others switch over sides

and form a new array against Dharma-people who want to be here,

there, everywhere; people who want to have the cake and eat it too;

men who know which side of bread is better buttered. This is in the

side wings for an unsuspecting Yudhishthira.

 

Then comes the infamous gamble in the form of elections, a kind

of `fixed match' too. The dice is thrown, the NDA is thrown out, with

some of its partners like TDP also into wilderness. But

erstwhile `friends' and `relations', like Shalya of the past, join

the enemy camp (DMK, Paswan, etc.) in the new Udyogaparva. They know

that NDA will last, if allowed, and so they cannot wag their tails.

They want tails to wag the new dog! Now a Gandhari arrives on the

scenario. You know her! Italy is neighbour to Gandhara (the land of

deceit), the present Afghanistan. She is ready to rule, but a

patriotic President throws his spanner in the wheels of her ambition,

as reciprocative Italian steps are not available in that land's

Constitution! High drama of `sacrifice' is fanfared! The CPM,

notwithstanding there is now a super PM, above a Shikhandi sort of PM

(thanks to Yashwant Sinha for this phrase!)-and now you have a

complete assemblage of dushta chatushtaya-"the infamous

 

four" combination of Karna, Duryodhana, Shakuni and Dushyasana.

 

Uma Bharti is jailed; Kanchi seers are in jail; Udupi seer faces

threats, humiliations; and there is nationalisation of Krishna like

the attempt to arrest and jail him in the epic (Udyogaparva).

 

The misrule knows no end- Governors are removed for RSS links;

elected governments overthrown by horse trading (Goa); new Governors

play role against the Constitution. The Supreme Court snubs them! A

shameless CPI dignitary acting as Speaker speaks ill of courts,

creates crisis of sorts. Even Shikhandi is angry. The country watches

in awe (this new Mahabharata).

 

Next should come a decisive `war' in terms of elections any moment.

Yudhishthira (BJP) must heed his mentor Shri Krishna's advice (RSS),

mindful of deceits and pitfalls in the new setup. People are behind

him, though treacherous partners, unsure of the sides to join, have

no compunctions or conscience. Austerity, alacrity, patience and firm

commitment to `national Dharma' as the base of all Raj Dharma are

wanted. There is Lord Sudarshana behind this Dharma. Rest is in the

time's womb for unfoldment.

 

(The writer is Director, Kautilya Institute of National Studies, and

can be contacted at No 977, "Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Krupa",

Chamarajapuram, Mysore-570005.)