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Lingayat issue: What voters in Karnataka should know about dangers of divide-and-rule politics

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Arindam De
Arindam DeMar 20, 2018 | 21:26

Lingayat issue: What voters in Karnataka should know about dangers of divide-and-rule politics

Lingayats, Hindus, Muslims, or converted Hindus (read ghar wapsi) - these and similar words and phrases are more political than religious, at least in the context they are used.

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka on Monday (March 19) decided to declare Lingayats as a religious minority and include the Veerashaivas, who follow Basavanna as a group within the community. The move is expected to have a huge impact on the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. 

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The British policy of maintaining control over colonies or subordinates by encouraging dissent between them - divide and rule - best describes the strategy of our present-day politicians and political parties.

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Did Basavanna call for a separate religion or recognition for his followers? No. But politicians do. And in our wonderfully diverse country, there are too many mores, customs and diversities at the disposal of politicians to be manipulated, to drive a wedge between the people.

Every diversity suddenly becomes a political opportunity - an opportunity to divide and rule. If one party is pro-Hindu, the other is pro-Muslim, another is pro-Christian, and now perhaps pro-Lingayat. The problem is no political party seems to be pro-humanity. No party seems to be pro-diversity.

The problem is that when a wedge is driven between communities it initially brings to fore the uniqueness of the community. Then that unique identity is used as a point to drive home the superiority factor. How can you be superior without making someone else inferior? And thus begins the them versus us debate. Benign acceptance is turned into virulent mistrust. Centuries-old bonding comes unstuck even as another vote bank gets created. Sadly, it is the majority that sees and suffers while sane voices are drowned out by the champions of a particular identity.

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Politics is a numbers game. As soon as one party indulges in vote bank politics (read segregation), others too come up with new equations (read social engineering). 

The voters too are perhaps used to this divide and rule politics. But for sitting governments to indulge in such divide and rule is still a bit unexpected. Yet, year after year, decade after decade, we have been voting for these parties. We have voted them to seats of power in the national and state capitals.

How many times have we, the people, demanded unification from our representatives? Let's not forget, political parties are able to peddle their ideologies only because we buy it. If our demands change so will the ideas on offer. Until then, we will remain divided and ruled by scheming politicians.

 

Last updated: March 20, 2018 | 21:26
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