When Samajwadi Party MLA, Abu Asim Azmi thundered the other day at a press conference that he was determined to take his oath in Hindi, come what may, he was daring to challenge the Marathi musclemen who had organized themselves in the form of a political party called the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena headed by Raj Thackeray.

The MNS chief, we all know, has his success formula based on Shiv Sena’s championing of the ‘sons-of-the-soil’ cause. It is tempting to regional satraps like Bal Thackeray to champion narrow regional interests as that ensures ballot box victory. Lately, the MP chief minister too talked of favouring locals in employment as he was worried about the influx of Biharis into his state. But he hastily made some clarifications becoming aware of likely reactions to his chauvinistic remarks.

It is against such divisive and narrow attitudes, Azmi took up the cudgels. Language, religion and caste are among the sensitive arenas where undemocratic intolerance play havoc in our pluralistic society.

Azmi’s determination to exercise his right to take the oath in Hindi defying the Marathi zealots turned the house into a bedlam. The session of the Maharashtra assembly had a violent start on November 9 when four MNS MLAs manhandled the SP legislator while taking his oath in Hindi.

The Congress described the MNS ‘rowdyism’ in the assembly as “unconstitutional, undemocratic and an assault on Indianness.” Eminent citizens and scholars and other political leaders too condemning the incident warned against the Balkanisation of India. Yet others wondered whether ‘we are going the Pakistan way.’

It was in the sixties that Bal Thackeray and his tribe invented ‘hatred of outsiders’ as shortcut to political power and formed the Shiv Sena. Mature statesmen were well aware of the dangers of such regional, jingoistic forces gaining strength in a metropolitan city like Mumbai. But the tragedy was that no action was taken to nip such forces in the bud. Reason: Vote politics.

In a democracy, the will of the majority prevails. But it does not take much wisdom to discern that democracy ensures that the 51 per cent of the people have their way ignoring the interests of 49 per cent. It is in recognition of this absurdity that checks and balances have been provided to ensure that the rights of the minorities are safeguarded. But only when a true democratic spirit takes hold of the people, democracy is safe.

The likes of Raj Thackeray exist in other parties too. Many a time, members of the local communist party cells in states like West Bengal or Kerala function as musclemen to carry out the party agenda. The recent allegations concerning bogus voters lists is just one of the ingenious ways of manipulating democracy to serve party interests.

Though India has a better democratic system than in many other countries, there are forces which obstruct proper functioning of the system. To take one example: the middle class has acquired positions of power in the political and economic arenas here resulting in the indifference towards the interests and needs of the poor. Policies are manipulated in such a way as to deny the unorganized and the poor their rights. The tribal revolt and the Naxalite violence should be viewed as an outcome of the failure of democracy to serve the cause of the poor. The Maoists say that they are taking to the gun to help the poor as the democratic way had not helped improve their lot after several decades of independence.

The current scenario compels us to ask many questions regarding the kind of democracy we have given to ourselves: firstly the corruption among political representatives which totally defeat the very aims of the system ; an illiterate and feudal electorate that can not even recognize where their interests lay; politicians like Mody and Thackeray who are able to manipulate the system to their advantage…

Leftist ideologues, Corporate houses, Hindutva advocates, Maoists, caste-based political outfits and Dalit are all vying with one another for supremacy. They all swear by the poor and they are all for building a strong nation. The rules of the game are laid down in the Constitution drawn up by the nation’s leaders at the dawn of independence. These rules are based on universal values such as equality, justice and righteousness.

The pluralistic nature of the Indian society presents more challenges for the proper functioning of democracy. Enlightened citizens need to play an increasing role in making the rights under democracy available to all.

This nation faces a multitude of problems; and in most issues it will be found that while proper law exists what is often lacking is a will to enforce rule of law. The law hardly takes its course because many other factors come into play. Very often the big offenders of the law escape correction. There is need for a higher sense of righteousness than what we are capable of – a higher morality that ensures justice even to the enemy.