What have been going on in world’s oldest as well as in largest but successful democracies which are looked upon by young and small democracies for ideological mentoring and moral supports? The two are also considered role models for many. They two are providing democratic structural designs as one of them has successful Presidential form of government with system of direct election while other one follows Parliamentary form through the-first-past-the-post election. And while economically former is a developed country, later one is developing after long spell of under-developed struggle.
On December 09, 2006, the London School of Economics alumni and so far considered the most educated politician India’s former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh while addressing 52nd National Development Council, made a statement, and I quote, “The plans for minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the ‘first claim’ on resources so that benefits of development reach them equitably”. While elaborating further, he added, “We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably the fruits of development. These must have the first claim on resources.” He said this as if there was/is equitable distribution of national resources among all religious communities in India.
Similarly, on January 11, 2021, the US President-elect, Mr. Joe Biden made a statement, and I quote, “Our priority will be Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American owned small businesses, women-owned businesses, and finally having equal access to resources needed to reopen and rebuild.” This is in contrast to what he said on October 15, 2020 while campaigning to occupy world’s most powerful mansion The White House, and I quote, “If I am elected President, you will not hear me race-baiting, you will not hear me dividing – you will hear me trying to unify.”
Instead, I humbly suggest both could have said, “My government’s economic development resource allocation priorities are for poor, and so far socio-eco-educationally deprived.” This covers minorities and those who are poor and deprived among majority, may be they are less in percentage to their community’s population in compare to minorities in India, and in case of the US’s Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American. This kind of statement only a statesman could think, could design and could say, surely not a short-sighted politician engaged in coming to power and retain the same comes what way.
Dr. Manmohan Singh’s questionable administrative statement or omission and commission were not surprise in view of his political background and circumstances in which he was delivering his so-called PM assignments for full two long-terms that is for ten years. Many alleged that he was just delivering what were asked to him to do. He wasn’t a politician, wasn’t elected ever, and mostly importantly, he wasn’t capable of getting votes for his party. Literally, he was an accidental PM, a step-gap arrangement till the dynasty owned Congress party crown prince is ready to take over the nation’s fate. But, yes, his leading the government was not constitutional blasphemy in India though democratically blasphemous in the realm of democracy. In the age of institutionalization of dynasty rule, who does care for democratic blasphemy?
Dr. Singh was a master in remaining in power despite criticism from none other than his peer Professor Dr. I G Patel, formerly Director in LSE, who did not hesitate to say, “Dr. M. M. Singh is politically shrewd,” and suggested to all, who politically concerned with him, “And do not underestimate his savviness on the political front.” And despite his ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers -ostensively Congress ally and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad Yadav- was tore and thrown to dustbin by Congress crown prince Rahul Gandhi saying, and I quote, “I tell you what my opinion on the Ordinance is: That it is complete nonsense. It should be torn up and thrown away. That’s my opinion,” and that too when PM Dr. Singh was meeting foreign head of government in the US.
Also Donald Trump was not a politician, a business man who exploited the US’s constitutional weakness to enter politics with strength of money, and got him elected in 2016 harnessing votes of economically weaker section in the majority community and fueling racial divide. His whimsical and unpredictable style of governance and later adoring the hat of Don’s on January 06, 2021, ended in spoiling the image of the US as a purveyor democratic decency and governance.
President-elect Joe Biden does not have the kind of dubious legacies neither that of Dr. M. M. Singh or that of Mr. Donald Trump. Biden is a career politician of over five decades as he hold the credit of the US’s one of the youngest Senator when he elected to US’s Congress upper house that is Senate in 1972 at the age of 29, and one of the oldest President-elect, and that too with highest ever votes that any presidential candidate ever won. Prior to this he had been two terms Vice-President of the US. When Donald Trump wore the hat of Don for a constitutional coup to remain in The White House for second term despite being the loser in the election on November 03, 2020, the America’s entire corps of opinion-makers and law-makers including Republicans, Trump’s cabinet colleagues and Vice-President Mike Pence rallied behind him and his running mate (Joe Biden-Kamala Harris).
In view of the above, Joe Biden picking a leap from Dr. Singh’s legacy, that contributed social and voters polarization in India, and announcing post election, and I quote, “Our priority will be Black ……. to reopen and rebuild”, is certainly uncalled for and unfortunate. This is no doubt will further fuel the already polarized American society and politics which is not a healthy sign. This kind of statements have potentials to taint not only democracy but also social harmony and national integrity in long-term though the same benefits politicians in short-term.
