4

Jan

When will dynastic politics change its course in Punjab?

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Today’s Edition

New Delhi, 4 January 2024

 Prabhjot Singh

 A person wearing a red turban Description automatically generated

Change, they say, is the only thing that is permanent. The adage, however, fails when applied to Indian politics. Dynastic politics have been the bane of Indian politics.

If one looks at the Indian politics, one does not have to look beyond a few hundred families that have been running the country ever since it got freedom from the British imperialism.

Though elections are held regularly to elect new Members of the lower house of Parliament – Lok Sabha – yet power remains confined to those hundred-odd families representing different political hues, ideologies, or groups.

Punjab, though a pioneer in many a political initiative in the country, is no different than the rest. This border State has mainly been governed by 20-odd families. The present ruling clan – Aam Aadmi Party – may be an exception. It has a running battle on its hands keep itself free from this “scourge” or bane of Indian politics.

Dynasties run not only in politics but other domains also, including some noble professions like medicine and education. There is, however, a huge difference. While politics has remained confined to a handful families, other avocations or professions have seen hundreds and thousands of families continuing to serve humanity for generations together.

If Nehrus, Gandhis, Yadavs, Pawars, and Lals have been at helm of national politics, Kairons, Badals, Brars, Kalias, Tandons, and Randhawas besides others have been passing on the political batons to their progenies in Punjab.

There are a little or no new faces on the political horizon. Those who try to make a valiant bid to break the monopoly of the established “raj gharanas”, they either get decimated in their initial struggle or become a part of the bigger clan.

Instead of encouraging young leaders and new faces into an important stream of nation building, efforts of those in power, wittingly or unwittingly, are to thwart new crop from taking to politics as an avocation. It is why the primary and nursery schools of politics – colleges and universities – are discouraged from student politics. There was a time when several leaders emerged on the state and national horizon after their initial tryst with college and university politics. But the late 1970s emergency provided the watershed.

Since then, grooming politicians at college and university level was either discouraged or controlled thus dissuading freshers from having a closer look at this option as their future career. Times cannot be rolled back. The system must meet its demands from whatever stuff is available. And as of now, only limited dynasties are continuing to monopolise supporting this important pillar of a liberal democracy called India.

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