There is a misplaced euphoria among certain sections of the opposition parties that anarchy has caught up in the neighbourhood in Nepal, after Bangladesh last year, and it may knock at our doorsteps as well. There have indeed been deliberate and conscious attempts of ushering in anarchy in India from time to time. All such attempts have failed in the past and are certain to fail in future as well.
But India is not Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. India is India and it will remain so. During the last 77 years of our independence, we have had 18 General Elections in India. During these elections, there have been seven regime changes. The transition has always been smooth and will always be.
Even the United States cannot compete on this distinction when it comes to smooth change in regime after elections. In 2020, Donald Trump tried to strongly resist the electoral verdict claiming elections were stolen. This led to the infamous Capitol Hill riots. In strong contrast, every political party and leader in India has gracefully accepted the popular verdict, while acknowledging defeat.
However, of late, in an absurd aberration, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has started questioning the electoral verdicts alleging these are stolen, even though not many people across the country are prepared to buy such charges.
Also read: Nepal Gen Z protesters demand new constitution and reforms
Coming back to Nepal, the entire regime collapsed within a span of 24 hours after it tried to quell the youth unrest and the ‘Gen-Z’ protests with an iron fist. The regime apparently without realising the consequences killed about 20 protesters who were only demanding withdrawal of the ban on social media platforms.
The consequences are for everyone to see. Kathmandu is burning, literally. The parliament building, prime minister and other ministers’ houses have been set on fire. One of the ministers was chased in public and thrashed mercilessly, reminding of Libyan ruler Colonel Gaddafi when he was chased and lynched publicly.
Ever since Nepal transitioned from monarchy to “democracy”, it has mostly remained politically unstable. The country appears to be the experimental laboratory for the players of the “great game”, may be not precisely in the traditional way. Given its strategic location, the foreign powers, particularly China from the East and the Western nations, are keen to set a foothold in the Himalayan country. India’s influence has seen considerable erosion after the “popular” government replaced the monarchy. The new government, dominated by the Communists, was influenced a lot by the Chinese.
While the extent of violence that took place in Nepal during the last few days is unprecedented, the change or collapse of the regime is not new. It has been happening regularly.
It is and must indeed be a matter of grave concern for us in India that Nepal is on the boil. An unstable, chaotic and anarchic neighbourhood cannot be in anybody’s interest. But there are certain political sections within India, who have started drawing parallels between Nepal and India, the same way the same people tried to draw parallels, first between India and Sri Lanka and later between India and Bangladesh.
It is wishful thinking among those who have remained out of power for the last three terms. Recurring electoral defeats seem to have exhausted these people. They have never remained in the “opposition” for such a long duration. The longest they remained out of power earlier was for six years between 1998 and 2004. Now they have been out of power, already for 11 years, and have to be so for at least four more years. There does not seem to be any hope even after four years.
Also read: UP on high alert as Nepal erupts in GenZ led protests
That is the reason such forces have already started crying wolf about “electoral manipulations”. First, they tried to blame the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). After the EVM argument failed, they have now come out with the “theory of vote theft”, thus preparing the ground not to accept any adverse verdict.
These “political forces” have a wishful thinking that something like Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka should also happen in India. They want that the current regime that has been duly elected for the third consecutive term, should be “thrown out” even if it means ushering in chaos and anarchy like in the neighbourhood.
But, that is not going to happen in India at any cost. Thanks to our first Prime Minister and great statesman Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indian democracy has such strong foundations, that it is practically impossible for anyone to shake it, leave aside uprooting it. No matter which forces try to disturb or destabilise it, it will always stay firm and strong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ilk, instead of keeping on criticising and condemning him, should be grateful to Nehru that if they (Modi and Co) feel safe and stable in the democratic stable today, it is because of the strong democratic foundations laid down by him (Nehru).
It is not that India has not had chaotic and anarchic moments like those currently in Nepal and earlier in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But the Indian democracy is so firm and strong that nothing could disturb it. In 1975, there was the ‘JP’ movement led by Jai Prakash Narayan against the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. No doubt imposing the 'Emergency' was a draconian move, but she managed to save the country from chaos and anarchy that time. She later paid the price in the 1977 elections by getting “democratically” ousted in the elections.
There was the “anti-Mandal Commission” agitation in 1990, which turned violent and spread across the country. Like in Nepal today, the anti-Mandal Commission movement was led by the youth of the country. Despite a weak government at the Centre and despite the intensity of the agitation, which brought different castes in India against each other, it did not lead to any violent regime change. Although the then Prime Minister VP Singh had to resign later, primarily for this reason, the transition was smooth and orderly as he was replaced by Chandrashekhar who became the Prime Minister.
The third time India faced a challenge was in the year 2011 when “anti-corruption” activist Anna Hazare launched a movement in Delhi. This movement paved the way for the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party and nationally helped the Bharatiya Janata Party to emerge a strong and powerful alternative to the Congress. The Congress has not seen a comeback since then.
During all these movements, whether in 1975, 1990 or 2011, the consequence was regime change. But the transition was smooth and peaceful. That makes the difference. That makes India stand out among its neighbours like Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
For those harbouring a wishful thinking of Nepal-like anarchy in India, that is not going to happen. If you want a regime change, the way leads through polling booths and electoral voting machines only, not through roads and streets.
No chaos and no anarchy in India. Let that sink in.
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