Even if one accepts that caste-based reservation in public services is necessary under the law, various other practices which result from allegiance to caste and family have greatly compromised our democratic institutions and values, writes Nilmadhab Mohanty
Normally an intense loyalty to one’s religion — often dubbed as communalism — is presented as a major dividing issue in India’s politics. In comparison, loyalties to one’s caste or family members are tolerated or even promoted in our political culture, although the latter may have more damaging effect on the Indian polity.
To be sure, in a secular republic like ours, communalism that promotes intolerance of others’ religious beliefs and practices has no place and needs to be condemned. At the same time, intense loyalty to one’s caste or family is in one sense a narrower allegiance than to one’s religion. While religiosity in its positive connotation may lead to moral or ethical public conduct, caste and family-allegiance, as practised in India, has had an insidiously corrosive effect on our social and political behaviour.
Even if one accepts that caste-based reservation in public services is necessary under the law and the Constitution to undo the injustice meted out to a large group of people over the centuries, there are various other practices outside the framework of law which result from allegiance to caste and family that have a debilitating effect on our democratic system of governance.
Caste-based political parties, to the extent they do not espouse modern ideas and ideologies, detract from the majesty of our democracy. It is not unusual for our political parties and leaders to select candidates for various electoral offices, not for their performance or merit, but on the basis of their caste and family affiliations.
Nepotism based on caste and extended-family considerations is not unknown in our bureaucracy, public sector enterprises and also in the private sector, including in the family-controlled large public companies. The system of ‘uncle judges’ points to the prevalence of similar practices even in our judiciary. There are many areas where the negative effects of caste and family loyalties manifest themselves but here we will highlight only a few of these areas that have greatly compromised our democratic institutions and values.
When India achieved independence from the colonial rule and gave itself a Constitution providing for a modern and democratic nation, it was envisaged that there would be equality of opportunity for all citizens and that merit rather than pedigree and privilege would be the criterion for choosing our lawmakers.
Over the years due to the prevalence of family and dynastic politics, politicians have developed the habit of passing on privilege to their progeny, the ideals enshrined in the Constitution have been lost and the practice of nepotism in politics has taken deep roots contradicting the principles of equality of opportunity for all.
All this has led a perceptive observer, Patrick French to comment that “the tentacles of extended families were now winding themselves even more tightly around India’s body politic” and that the “meritocratic values of the makers of the Indian Constitution” stand compromised. Caste and family loyalties have a close interface with corruption in our public life. It is normal for our countrymen (whether in business or Government), when they indulge in corrupt behaviour, to co-opt their close relatives in ‘benami’ transactions or as ‘caretakers’ of their ill-gotten wealth.
The disease however is not confined to politicians alone. Many a time bureaucrats, military officers and even judges have been accused of using or aiding their kin for illegal gains. The recent scandal involving the purchase of VVIP helicopters from an Italian firm has a retired Air Force chief and his cousins among the main actors. On the other hand, where such family-linked corruption is absent, for instance in Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat, the Government comes to acquire a reputation for good governance both nationally and internationally.
Misplaced family and caste loyalties also play havoc with our criminal justice system. While the evil is widespread, some of the high profile examples include the Jessica lal (1999) and Nitish Katara (2002) murder cases where powerful politicians used their clout to get acquittal for their children accused of murder. It was only after media and public pressure that these court decisions were reversed.
Again politicians are not the only culprits. Civil and military officials also do not hesitate to subvert the law when it becomes necessary for the love of their children. The well-known BMW hit-and-run case (1999 ) involving the kin of a former Navy chief, the Priyadarshini Mattoo (1996) and Bitti Mohanty (2006) cases, where the sons of senior police officers were accused of rape and murder, also went through a tortuous path that involved delay and derailment of justice.
The real test of leadership is, whether in the final analysis, one puts one’s country before one’s self and family; and on that score we seem to be failing. That appears to be the real tragedy of modern India. Should we not, as citizens, ponder over this phenomenon a little more seriouslyIJ
(The writer is a former Secretary, Government of India)