Summers are particularly severe in the Thar desert with temperatures shooting up to 50 degrees Celsius. Dust raising winds can morph into full blown storms in the unforgiving swathes of the arid region with rolling sand hills. But this year, there is a different type of storm sweeping the undulating topography ~ a political one that has gripped the imagination of the simple, hardy, and deeply traditional folks of the clustered JaisalmerBarmer-Balotra districts.
The reverberations of this desert storm are being felt across the vast and ancient land of Rajputana or Rajasthan, and it has clear auguries for the future political possibilities of the entire nation. As the nation finds itself mired in the regressive clutches of the past with its electoral passions veering around polarising narratives of Hindus and Muslims, caste census, mangalsutras et al, with the real issues of employment, agrarian crisis, inflation etc., taking a back seat ~ comes the refreshing campaign of a 26-year-old youth pitching on securing water for his parched constituency, job opportunities for the desperate youth, socio-economic development of his backward constituency, basically everything that ought to be consuming the politicians, but isn’t.
As we remain gripped by meaningless guarantees of individual cults, dynastic appeals, partisan purity or even regional/castiest/religious promises, the fact that India faces hard issues that afflict all and not just select groups, is seemingly lost on career politicians. But in a situation that sounds counterintuitive (given the presumed backwardness of the region), the popular appeal of a Ravindra Singh Bhatti (proudly ‘Independent’) from JaisalmerBarmer-Balotra Lok Sabha constituency talking inclusively for the 36 Biraadari cutting across all possible religious, castiest, and socio-economic divides, is a rare breath of fresh air.
Since he is ‘Independent’, he does not have to sing hosannas about any party leadership and their purported infallibilities or superhuman capabilities; he only talks about his own abilities and not any single, double or triple engines. His tone is patriotic, and not jingoistic or exclusivist. And yet, without any partisan brand to assure him of any en bloc vote, he seems to be defying logic by cavalierly attempting to defeat both the national parties i.e., the BJP and the Congress. No amount of rallies by the biggest political names in the country can match his juggernaut. While big-talking, bigoffending, and big-promising partisan politicians are doing what they do best i.e., polarise local communities and promise the moon, Ravindra is ‘their boy’ who reaches out generously, humanely, and sincerely.
He drew mammoth crowds that shamed the supposed starpower and organisation of cash-rich political parties. There is something raw, organic, and even hero-like about his persona and the smart political newbie plays the son-of-the-soil card with immense pride, dignity, and decency. Given that the ancient desert land has seen countless wars, valiant heroes, and bloody battles since antiquity, the romantic template of a ‘David versus Goliath’ equation has its natural resonances ~ Ravindra is tapping into his ‘Independent’ status and twisting it to his advantage.
For once the hunted (common citizen) has become the hunter, and his game is the full-time politicians who are exposed and shamed for their excesses, easy promises, and divisive agenda. Unbeknownst to many, this harsh desert land is typical of ‘Mini India’ with its myriad diversities of all possible denominations who live cheek-byjowl in relative peace, harmony and convivial amity (as did other regions, till the ‘politicians’ of divide or appeasement arrived on the scene). Ravindra is only revisionist in approach when it comes to invoking the civilisational social fiber of the land, otherwise he only talks of development and socio-economic issues, and so the full-time politicians are inadvertently made to look awkward, small, and outdated.
The wholesomeness of the situation is magnified when you see participants of the two major national parties not trying to out-shame each other but strive to keep pace with the relentless ‘hope’ ignited by the irrepressible Ravindra Singh Bhatti. His example is a glorious rebuttal to those who lazily complain about TINA (There Is No Alternative) factor for the depressing state of politics in the country. Seemingly, the low turnout of national polling data indicates fatigue, frustration, and disinterest ~ but the crowds in Jaisalmer are on to something special, and something big that could shake the status quo of the country.
His example could seed ‘Ravindra Singh Bhattis’ from Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir or Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and that could change the ensuing amorality of our politics. His success is important from the perspective of much needed ‘hope’ against the prevailing ‘system’ (to which all national and regional parties have contributed since independence). It will force navel-gazing for existing politicians and set the agenda for the future. Divisive politics of hate or appeasement must stop, and real issues must take over. Unlike the birth of an Aam Aadmi Party (the last new ‘idea’ in the Indian political mainstream), there are no heavy weights of society to hold supportive dharnas, no affluent backers, and not even any nudging political rival, for he threatens the entirety of the ‘system’ and not just any one party (unlike the successful birth of AAP which was focused against the-then ruling party). The template of Ravindra Singh Bhatti must also succeed for what it potentially suggests ~ the power of an average ‘Independent’ individual to change the much-needed conversations, debate, and narrative.
Single-minded determination, dash and pluck saw him win as the University President, then as an MLA, and now he is eyeing a MP seat (all as an Independent) ~ if this isn’t an ‘Indian Dream’, what is? There is also a certain welcome ‘normalcy’ and simplicity about a teacher and homemaker’s son who studies and does his law (without posturing any ‘martyr-syndrome’ or pretended piety) and then proudly espouses real issues in local dialect with aplomb, stands tall and talks firm, but with a much needed measure of decency. After a long time, a natural student leader has succeeded in capturing the political imagination after the likes of Vajpayee, Chandrashekar, Jaitley, Tharoor etc., who could conflate education, youthfulness, idealism, and nativism without resorting to bigotry or hate.
While Jaisalmer-BarmerBalotra is just one seat out of 543 and Ravindra may or may not win, he has already done the impossible of shaking up the ‘system’ and offering ‘hope’ ~ therefore, even it is too good a dream to come true, one must pray for his success for the betterment and dignity of constituency, his state, and his country, towards which he professes equal love and reverence. India in these dark times has seen a flicker of change, hope, and now waits for 6 June to see if indeed it is a case of a major Desert Storm!
(The writer is Lt Gen PVSM, AVSM (Retd), and former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry)