Masala Democracy

October 12, 1999. Two events have simultaneously occurred that merit mention, affecting over one-sixth of the world immediately, and all others in consequence.

India just announced the results of its third election in three years. While India deserves congratulations for maintaining a functioning democracy, what do results show? With a 40% participation rate, to what extent has the National Democratic Alliance, led by the incumbent-party BJP and current Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, received the mandate of the people? Violence marred the whole process -in Kashmir, assassins felled several candidates; in Assam and Nagaland, secessionist groups terrorized the countryside to sway important votes. Are the elections even representative?

Moreover, what kind of formidable opposition party has the Congress made itself by unanimously electing Sonia Gandhi as the head? What kind of country allows a foreign-born woman the ability to run for the highest office of the land? While Congress-party elites may proclaim the necessity of continuing the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty for stability, at the very least the people of India have chosen wisely not to elect a woman who speaks no Indian language and only opted for Indian citizenship 18 years after she moved to the country. If Indians want foreigners as Prime Ministers, I remain here ready to serve the country. At the very least, as an American NRI, I can speak Hindi. The people of India bore the cross of European slavery and colonialism for over two-hundred years. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru (Sonia Gandhi's grandfather-in-law) would fast themselves to death before allowing another symbol of European opportunism substitute for better indigenous governance. The people have thankfully proven that not being literate does not mean not being sane.

Even more interesting will be how Prime Minister Vajpayee keeps balance on his political tightrope. Satisfying a coalition of 18 parties, from communists and free-marketists to Southern chauvinists who want to eradicate any Northern influence from their culture? There is a serious flaw in coalition-style parliamentary democracies when politicians forget issues for the sake of power. I wait for reelection with pakoras in hand.

Now, Pakistan. In a country where the military has ruled 25 out of the past 52 years of independence, it is no surprise that the army has staged a coup d'état. The past two weeks of Pakistan witnessed unimaginable repression for a country claiming democracy. No freedom of assembly. Little freedom of press. Sunni Islamic political parties, sanctioned by the government, advocating the killing of Shia Muslims. While the rest of the world moves forward, Pakistan regresses.

The tense political climate in Pakistan represents the culmination of the Prime Minister's misadventures. Subjugating the judiciary almost two years ago, opposition parties should have then clamored for his removal. By dismissing Chief of Army Staff Jehangir Karamat because he advocated an independent national security committee that should monitor the country's defense, Nawaz Sharif showed his disdain for dissent. Issuing court orders against Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto for her arrest and imprisoning her husband under pretext of political corruption, Nawaz Sharif embodied the ultimate trait that all goodfellas envy -untouchability. He stood alone by eliminating all enemies.

Eventually the army had enough. By negotiating with, then attacking, and then blaming India for the whole Kargil fiasco in the summer, the Prime Minister later passed his unaccountability for the over $1 billion/day operation to a reluctant Army Chief Musharraf. Reports now have come out that the Prime Minister actually ordered Musharraf to localize the conflict to Kashmir so that neither side would not wield its nuclear weapons on a wider front. Little did he expect that the International Monetary Fund and the rest of the world community would pull out their economic resources from the country. Pakistan is about to default with less than $100 billion in foreign reserves.

Nawaz Sharif went too far on Tuesday, October 12. After silencing rumors for two months that he would not fire the present Army Chief, he did so cowardly, exactly when the Chief was in Sri Lanka. Musharraf flew back to Pakistan, ordering soldiers to take control of the airport, media outlets, and houses of the Cabinet. Which is better: a dictatorial Prime Minister who ravages the remnants of a democracy or a military that violates and then resurrects democracy on its own terms?

In two countries this internally conflicted, no wonder the masses suffer from poverty, illiteracy, and poor health. They expect progress from provincial leaders.