What has been witnessed in Capitol USA, which saw its highest legislative body under siege from aggrieved section of the society, many would prefer to describe it as transgression of democracy perpetrated by those who have lost the people’s mandate. However a deeper insight would reveal that it was the inevitable consequence of the failure of democracy to cater to the aspirations of the most significant section of the populace who feel aggrieved and frustrated at the plight Democracy to protect itself from being usurped by those who are not native Americans.
The main objective of the advent of Democracy which enabled the mantle of governance from the monarchs to pass on to the hands of the people through their chosen representatives has been vitiated over the centuries. The struggle against the rule of the monarchs envisaged replacement of the same by the people’s rule. It is pertinent to note that the people in this case referred to those homogeneous group belonging to a specific geographical area with a common ethnicity and culture.
Over the years this reference interrelating the land and the people of the land got obscured with migration of people from different geographical regions for various historical reasons. Although such migration initially did not alter the intrinsic character of the relation between the land and the original inhabitants, subsequently in many instances and in many places the demography of places significantly got altered much to the discomfit of the original inhabitants.
Affinity of a particular group to its ethnicity and its preferential claim to the privileges of a specific geographical area is as old as the human civilization. Clashes between various human civilizations have taken place whenever the ethnicity of group of people has been endangered. The various clashes and unrest that has been witnessed from 19th century in various countries and various separatist moments have all had to do with peoples not being able to compromise on the loss of their ethnic identity. The Ireland, Palestine, Sri Lanka, fragmentation of- African colonies, East European countries, USSR and many similar happenings around the world had to do with people considering their ethnic identity as of paramount importance. Even the reunification of bifurcated Nations like Germany and Vietnam was possible only because of commonality of ethnicity scoring over division by ideologies.
The Democracy which took birth during the despotic regime of many monarchies to restore liberties to the people and provide them the ownership of the rule over the geographical area they belonged to, was found wanting in protecting that very promise. The Democracies themselves became vulnerable to being made impotent and unavailing by those with vested interest.
Often it so happened that Governments which wanted to make democracy relevant and thriving found themselves handicapped by the very edicts of the democracy and democracy too in turn many a times suffered at the hands of governments who were too meek to do the needful to make the Democracy relevant.
In countries like India, the anomalies of Democratic set up allowed less than twenty percent of the population to decide as to who shall rule the land, making a mockery of the principle of governance of the people, for the people and by the people. In many instances the coalition govts especially the post election coalition arrangement rubbished the popular representation principle.
The democracy, is being gnawed away at the roots and the trunk by communist forces and religious fundamentalist forces, fully endowed with the conviction that, those looking after the tree would hesitate to use insecticide to dispel the termites lest it is chided by the others for spoiling the fruits borne by the tree.
World over the simmering frustration of the people in seeing the impotency of the democracy to fulfill their aspirations is beginning to burst out in a violent manner that would make it appear very undemocratic but such unrests have at the root of their mind a vehement intention to correct the skewness of the democracy.
Many would like to call the unruly incidents in capitol as Trump incited to conveniently pin the blame on him, because Trump continues to be the target of attack by the Liberals due to his attempt to correct certain anomalies of democratic set up in his country to make it more relevant. This obviously was disliked by the gang which preferred to have the ailing democracy to continue for that made very congenial setting to their nefarious designs. The indiscriminate nature of immigration policy in the name of democratic principles and human values played havoc with the ethnic pride and identity of the ethnic Americans and also compromised their security against terror groups.
For many of them after many decades, their hopes and aspirations were kindled with “America for the Americans“ and “America come first” slogans coined by leaders, who were ready to risk at not being politically correct. For these group to lose out to usurpers of their dream and that too in an unfair manner as is being suspected is sure provocation for them to vent out their frustrations.
In India too democracy is being misused by the inimical elements to unsettle the elected govts from carrying out what is deemed beneficial for the country and prevent it from breaking free of its shackles to march in the path of progress. Elected govts became paralyzed by these forces whose frequent judicial litigation invited unnecessary judicial interventions in legislative and executive functions of elected bodies. The govt was also intimidated by these reprehensible groups through frequent disruption in public life and damage to public property in the name of exercising their democratic rights.
The Democracy is hijacked and held to ransom by few inimical forces with resources to spare. People like George Soros through their NGO were becoming a real menace to many countries, including his country of birth disallowed and banned his organization. There is an all out effort to make the electoral democracy irrelevant by few who care two hoots for democracy by paralyzing public life in the name of democracy and make the duly elected govt to stoop down on its knees.
There are counties like Singapore, where there is dignity for human life and at the same time suitable environment to enjoy individual freedom, without endangering the democratic set up of the country. The freedom to protest and dissent are governed by some guide lines. Democracy does not necessarily have to envisage freedom to protest and create unrest as a prerequisite to qualify as a true Democracy. Any Democracy that cannot provide for congenial environment to majority of the people to realize their aspirations ceases to be the true democracy no matter whatever Liberal label it may acquire.
It is high time the democracy is refurbished and nourished with proper safe guards to prevent it from getting hijacked. In countries like India where due to its diversity destructive forces are taking advantage to weaken the democracy to drive their selfish motives, the Institution of Democracy needs to be reengineered and restructured with suitable safety provisions and riders elucidating the need for certain restrictions that are incorporated in it to retain its vibrancy and utility otherwise in future the frustrations of the silent majority may erupt violently.
It may come off as an oxymoronic expression, but sooner or later every democratic country would be compelled to place certain restrictions and curbs in place for a healthy democracy to thrive.
