As the data streams in about voting patterns across the states that tell us how the 2019 Indian elections for the Centre went, there appears to be some glaring indications of intelligence failures in the opposition camp – and this is the case at the partisan and public levels. While the Opposition Party intelligence failures are actually quite common, what is stark is the level to which the voices Opposed to Hindu Terrorist ideology – Hindutva misjudged things. This intelligence failure is an indictment of the Class and Caste nature of most of those who are from the Opposition, non-party camps as well as the Media that the Liberals and Leftist voices have been consuming.
The Caste and Class divide.
It is no act of brilliance to label the Opposition voices, those of the Urban, Upper Caste elites, the Highly Educated Bahujan voices, the Upper Class subaltern voices, and in general, the English speaking folks – whether as a first or second language. The nature of human engagement is such that in a political environment of engagement and battle, humans seek solace and an emotional recharge amongst their own. This is especially true for those who are Political because of their ideological convictions.
Ideology, being an inexact science and previously mostly the purview of academics, is something that the common masses need social affirmation about. For a very common example, an affirmation of the tactical and strategic lines of a party are usually never ratified by the supporters in any kind of empirical canvas but rather as a group therapy session of “you’re on the right path” rhetoric, or on some historical events of similar magnitude or genre.
This means that in the 5 years of Modi’s rule. There was little effort that was put into gathering intelligence on the moods, wishes and aspirations of the large mass of the population. What was passed off as intelligence was mostly a theoretical and academic understanding of the rural mindset, the Bahujan mindsets, the economic and national aspirations of millennials, etc. Thus, the Dalit was always assumed to be someone who lived in a slum, was insulted and beaten by Savarnas 15 times a day, and went home to read Ambedkar at bedtime. Also, a great assumption was that all Dalits are in a state of readiness for revolution. This of course is the popular stereotype of the Dalit that has been fed to us by our peers or our “senior” peers in our respective social bubbles. But it is a stereotype, nevertheless. It ignores the material conditions of Dalits in general, it assumes that Dalits have transitioned into having revolutionary potential and ignores that 70 years of Capitalism have mostly subsumed Revolutionary Consciousness under Alienation and the Liberal false consciousness.
Thus, when the 2019 UP Bahujan alliance fell apart at the polls people are left wondering how it could have all gone wrong? The popular thought that pervades the subconscious being one of “treachery” by the Dalits. Again, the obvious Brahminical mindset comes forth assuming that Dalits must follow this path and not choose their own – their own path if ideologically different, being treachery. What has not been understood is the material conditions of the Dalits. Yes, they are oppressed and they know it but they are not willing to attack power to achieve it OR that they still believe that the crumbs from the oppressor are a better gamble than a future con from the rebels. There is also the very real aspect of the outreach to Dalits by the Hindu Terrorist rightwing foot soldiers. There is of course, finally, the tactical blunders made, when in a bourgeois democracy, of vote cutting, etc. And while the allegations of “Caste is dead” is bandied about by the Right Wing, it would seem a ridiculous charge but what if it has even a slight element of accuracy? If that is the case then a new understanding is required and not caricatures anymore!
Media
What media the Liberals and the Left consume have for the past 5 years in the most obscene act of Capitalism, pandered to the consumer wants instead of the consumer needs. The Wire, Scroll, Newsclick and smattering of individual celebrity opposition journalists have been telling the opposition that the Hindu Right was on the wane, change was nigh. That was of course not true. Why? Simple…. This very media that gives us ideological sustenance to fight, has been a McDonalds that has fed us the junk and fast food of quick narratives and convenient “ground reports.” It has clearly not given us the complete picture in any measure and has thus just existed to feed what is convenient.
Here, we the masses are also to blame for replicating the wrongs of the Right wing by subscribing to knowledge and media that further accentuates the information bubble. Where are the critics and naysayers? Where are those who challenge the narratives our own media put out? Ultimately… What is the real truth?
This now remains unanswered but we must find the answers.
The Caste and Class divide.
It is no act of brilliance to label the Opposition voices, those of the Urban, Upper Caste elites, the Highly Educated Bahujan voices, the Upper Class subaltern voices, and in general, the English speaking folks – whether as a first or second language. The nature of human engagement is such that in a political environment of engagement and battle, humans seek solace and an emotional recharge amongst their own. This is especially true for those who are Political because of their ideological convictions.
Ideology, being an inexact science and previously mostly the purview of academics, is something that the common masses need social affirmation about. For a very common example, an affirmation of the tactical and strategic lines of a party are usually never ratified by the supporters in any kind of empirical canvas but rather as a group therapy session of “you’re on the right path” rhetoric, or on some historical events of similar magnitude or genre.
This means that in the 5 years of Modi’s rule. There was little effort that was put into gathering intelligence on the moods, wishes and aspirations of the large mass of the population. What was passed off as intelligence was mostly a theoretical and academic understanding of the rural mindset, the Bahujan mindsets, the economic and national aspirations of millennials, etc. Thus, the Dalit was always assumed to be someone who lived in a slum, was insulted and beaten by Savarnas 15 times a day, and went home to read Ambedkar at bedtime. Also, a great assumption was that all Dalits are in a state of readiness for revolution. This of course is the popular stereotype of the Dalit that has been fed to us by our peers or our “senior” peers in our respective social bubbles. But it is a stereotype, nevertheless. It ignores the material conditions of Dalits in general, it assumes that Dalits have transitioned into having revolutionary potential and ignores that 70 years of Capitalism have mostly subsumed Revolutionary Consciousness under Alienation and the Liberal false consciousness.
Thus, when the 2019 UP Bahujan alliance fell apart at the polls people are left wondering how it could have all gone wrong? The popular thought that pervades the subconscious being one of “treachery” by the Dalits. Again, the obvious Brahminical mindset comes forth assuming that Dalits must follow this path and not choose their own – their own path if ideologically different, being treachery. What has not been understood is the material conditions of the Dalits. Yes, they are oppressed and they know it but they are not willing to attack power to achieve it OR that they still believe that the crumbs from the oppressor are a better gamble than a future con from the rebels. There is also the very real aspect of the outreach to Dalits by the Hindu Terrorist rightwing foot soldiers. There is of course, finally, the tactical blunders made, when in a bourgeois democracy, of vote cutting, etc. And while the allegations of “Caste is dead” is bandied about by the Right Wing, it would seem a ridiculous charge but what if it has even a slight element of accuracy? If that is the case then a new understanding is required and not caricatures anymore!
Media
What media the Liberals and the Left consume have for the past 5 years in the most obscene act of Capitalism, pandered to the consumer wants instead of the consumer needs. The Wire, Scroll, Newsclick and smattering of individual celebrity opposition journalists have been telling the opposition that the Hindu Right was on the wane, change was nigh. That was of course not true. Why? Simple…. This very media that gives us ideological sustenance to fight, has been a McDonalds that has fed us the junk and fast food of quick narratives and convenient “ground reports.” It has clearly not given us the complete picture in any measure and has thus just existed to feed what is convenient.
Here, we the masses are also to blame for replicating the wrongs of the Right wing by subscribing to knowledge and media that further accentuates the information bubble. Where are the critics and naysayers? Where are those who challenge the narratives our own media put out? Ultimately… What is the real truth?
This now remains unanswered but we must find the answers.
