Congress System as a 'Bag of Biscuit(s)' system
The Congress governance model, as a political theory, can be whimsically pictured as a party carrying a handy bag stuffed with assorted "biscuits"—think women's biscuits, Bhumihar biscuits, Rajput biscuits, Dalit biscuits, government employee biscuits, civil society biscuits, and so on, with the list endlessly expandable as needed. The Congress political executive would glide along at the top, overseeing a well-oiled machinery below. Periodically, they'd drop a suitable biscuit to appease immediate public demands. The masses would gratefully munch away, while the Congress machinery—led by a compliant media—would chorus its praises, securing the party's rule.
Traditional Views on Government
In conventional political science, governments are often viewed as all-powerful institutions, prompting most interpretations of rights to be framed in opposition to state authority—be it fundamental rights or universal human rights categories. It's widely held that governments bear primary responsibility for violating human rights, with state power even accused of stifling democratic consciousness. Yet, India's functioning democracy defies this textbook lens, revealing nuances that standard models overlook.
Global and Indian Contradictions
Leaders like Zelenskyy rise via elections yet pursue undemocratic paths, while Western democracies prop economic systems exploiting Asia and Africa. These societies craft narratives amplified by media and NGOs, sowing discord in vulnerable regions—a playbook Congress seems to endorse. Rajni Kothari termed Congress's dominance era a "Congress system," but it carried dictatorial undertones, peaking during the 1975-1977 Emergency. Unwittingly, Congress echoes that mindset today, from extra-constitutional minority appeasement—culminating in Manmohan Singh's infamous "first claim" remark on resources—to alienating the secular majority.
In conventional political science, governments are often viewed as all-powerful institutions, prompting most interpretations of rights to be framed in opposition to state authority—be it fundamental rights or universal human rights categories. It's widely held that governments bear primary responsibility for violating human rights, with state power even accused of stifling democratic consciousness. Yet, India's functioning democracy defies this textbook lens, revealing nuances that standard models overlook.
Role of Opposition in Democracy
Wherever there's a government, an opposition naturally emerges; without it, even a democratic setup risks morphing into dictatorship, perhaps the uglier kind that cloaks itself in democratic pretensions. Opposition, knowingly or not, checks power abuses and safeguards public awareness. In the Indian context, however, it's ironically ineffective under Congress leadership—today's opposition feels so disconnected from the people that only its die-hard echo chambers pay heed. Globally, no democracy thrives without a robust opposition; curiously, in current India, Narendra Modi's side appears most enthusiastic about democratic processes.
Wherever there's a government, an opposition naturally emerges; without it, even a democratic setup risks morphing into dictatorship, perhaps the uglier kind that cloaks itself in democratic pretensions. Opposition, knowingly or not, checks power abuses and safeguards public awareness. In the Indian context, however, it's ironically ineffective under Congress leadership—today's opposition feels so disconnected from the people that only its die-hard echo chambers pay heed. Globally, no democracy thrives without a robust opposition; curiously, in current India, Narendra Modi's side appears most enthusiastic about democratic processes.
Contemporary Opposition Dynamics
Opposition parties, eyeing the 2024 elections, seem adrift, showing little adherence to democracy's core principles. Congress and allies, banding against the BJP-led NDA under the I.N.D.I.A. banner, operate more like a cozy family private limited company than a vibrant coalition. Democracies come in many hues, but elections remain a universal thread, transferring power to a party or group—not directly to the masses. Thus, a party's sensitivity to public concerns gauges how truly democratic a system is, though elected governments often prove paradoxically undemocratic in action.
Opposition parties, eyeing the 2024 elections, seem adrift, showing little adherence to democracy's core principles. Congress and allies, banding against the BJP-led NDA under the I.N.D.I.A. banner, operate more like a cozy family private limited company than a vibrant coalition. Democracies come in many hues, but elections remain a universal thread, transferring power to a party or group—not directly to the masses. Thus, a party's sensitivity to public concerns gauges how truly democratic a system is, though elected governments often prove paradoxically undemocratic in action.
Global and Indian Contradictions
Leaders like Zelenskyy rise via elections yet pursue undemocratic paths, while Western democracies prop economic systems exploiting Asia and Africa. These societies craft narratives amplified by media and NGOs, sowing discord in vulnerable regions—a playbook Congress seems to endorse. Rajni Kothari termed Congress's dominance era a "Congress system," but it carried dictatorial undertones, peaking during the 1975-1977 Emergency. Unwittingly, Congress echoes that mindset today, from extra-constitutional minority appeasement—culminating in Manmohan Singh's infamous "first claim" remark on resources—to alienating the secular majority.
The Congress Ecosystem
Collectively, the "Congress ecosystem"—dubbed the "Khan media gang" or "Lutyens" elite—comprises four pillars: the Congress party and its beneficiaries, a partisan media feigning neutrality, a compliant judiciary, and NGOs funding the whole show. It's time to move beyond Kothari's classic narrative. Revisiting the bag-of-biscuits analogy: Congress executives at the helm, machinery humming below, dropping tailored treats to sate the moment's needs. The public consumes, media sings hymns to its virtues, and voilà—the party reigns supreme, ever so generously.
Collectively, the "Congress ecosystem"—dubbed the "Khan media gang" or "Lutyens" elite—comprises four pillars: the Congress party and its beneficiaries, a partisan media feigning neutrality, a compliant judiciary, and NGOs funding the whole show. It's time to move beyond Kothari's classic narrative. Revisiting the bag-of-biscuits analogy: Congress executives at the helm, machinery humming below, dropping tailored treats to sate the moment's needs. The public consumes, media sings hymns to its virtues, and voilà—the party reigns supreme, ever so generously.
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