Aamir Khan might have junked suggestions that his movie ‘3 Idiots’ was ever in any manner inspired by the persona and life of Sonam Wangchuk and that any similarity between the more industrious of the three idiots, Phunsuk Wangdu, and Wangchuk is purely a coincidence, most Indians think otherwise.
But, while ‘3 Idiots’ was a blockbuster, Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike does not seem to have struck that chart-smashing chord with the audience. At best, Wangchuk has become a faint hope of the beleaguered Indian Opposition that is ready to clutch at straws to remain relevant, faced with the BJP’s railroading juggernaut. And, that does not portend well for Wangchuk and his commitment for sacrifice for a public cause.
Wangchuk’s indefinite fast aimed to topple Dharmendra Pradhan is least likely to reproduce an Anna Hazare moment. The Anna movement was launched with an overarching motive: to rid India of corruption. It was not aimed at any specific individual. Since the goal was generic and broad, it gave the movement a strong and wide symbolic appeal, since it encompassed all sorts of frustrations of Indians, and we know Indians back then had more grievances than they have now.
The framing of the problem to begin with is problematic. It resembles a witch-hunt, though it is not to say that Pradhan is beyond scrutiny or moral responsibility and, in equal measure, perception management as he is one of the more senior members of the Cabinet.
Those for whom Wangchuk has taken issue with the government too have chosen to stay out of picture. They too have not shown any rallying spirit to stand behind, if not with, Wangchuk. Politically speaking, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) did latch on to an emotional issue, the future of kids, which in India specially, traverses through education and, therefore, exams. The political calculation to ride a national emotional rage and uproar was a perfect plan, but what this equation did not consider was that BJP’s politics of valence, represented by Prime Minister Modi, carries way more sway and legitimacy and trust than a single misstep of a corrupted examination.
Moreover, CJP equation could not factor in that while there is national outrage against Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP of the Government were not the legatee of the exam leaks, unlike in 2014 when the Congress party was the alleged beneficiary of every corruption case. So, while CJP and Wangchuk want to rally the people, all parents and their children, to their cause, they do not have a rallying cry.
Again, the political acumen of an ex-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionary laced on top with the legitimacy of a public crusader could not fathom that movements are not just a function of the moment or grievance in the life of a nation, but also a matter of faith and trust. India, to me at least, has lost its faith in Anna Hazare kind of movement for the simple reason that the leaders that the movement threw up lost in the estimation of the people of the country, foremost being Arvind Kejriwal. He, not long ago, was unseated from Delhi. Since then has been busy in Punjab, where also the AAP is not doing good in any way. Since Kejriwal’s ascent to power a lot went wrong with Anna movement’s baby: from internal bickering to throwing out comrades from the party, some leaving on their own claiming disgust, to allegations of beating women leaders behind closed doors to spat and bitter political divorce with Raghav Chadha, not to forget the alleged excesses of ‘Sheeshmahal’ and the allegations of liquor scam.
Anna Hazare himself was cornered after he had lived his political utility. During the last Delhi assembly elections, though, Hazare had chastised Kejriwal for being “overwhelmed by the power of money”.
On the other hand, Wangchuk, by associating with the CJP and accepting with open arms the support of Opposition parties is harming his own case. As days pass and his health deteriorates, the perception that his fast is just a front for an effete and defeated Opposition is also growing. As the usual suspects of Bollywood throng Wangchuk, as avowed anti-BJP farm leaders join in, as political figures, such as Kejriwal and Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav keep visiting in solidarity, Wangchuk’s fast will keep getting demeaned and desiccated of any real meaning. Wangchuk will be seen only as the Opposition’s cat’s paw meant to push the BJP government to the wall.
That brings me to the government. It is no secret that the BJP government does not take well to political targeting. As history has shown, the party has its own machinery to deal with things, that does not consider media or political pressure. The examination system will be dealt with is for sure, the culprits who embarrassed the government in front of the people will get their share of suffering, but any attempt to derail the long-term plans of this government, domestic as well as global, will not be met with kid gloves.
(The views of the author are personal)