The ‘Batenge-Katenge’ Factor

All the Indian television news channels were quivering with excitement in anticipation of TRPs by flashing the message of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on the occasion of Janamashtmi, wherein he said, “Batenge Toh Katenge (will be cut down if we are stand divided)”.

This was also a signal for mudslinging between political parties in the wake of upcoming elections, an attempt at polarisation, adding the Hindutva factor and more. Had Adityanath used the term “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, someone may have accused him of being colonial.

The specific reason why Adityanath said what he did, only he would know. Possibly this was because of the happening in Bangladesh, where some 2000 radicals reportedly plan to pledge allegiance to terrorist organisations like ISIS or Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

And Sayyed Madani, a radical Bangladeshi scholar has warned the Indian government to prepare for the battle of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’, and Muhammad Jasimuddin Rahman, chief of ‘Ansarullah Bangla’ (Al-Qaeda’s affiliate), just released from prison, has addressed thousands of terrorist supporters.

The undeniable fact is that having eliminated East Pakistan, we failed to keep Bangladesh indebted or dependent on India.

In fact, the present rhetoric on Global South and other global issues cannot deny the fact that Indian diplomacy has failed in the immediate neighbourhood – Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh included.

Whatever be the reason for Adityanath saying “‘Batenge Toh Katenge…’” are we focused on the “Batenge” part, or are we ignoring it completely? Why is the demand for a caste census?

Article 340 of the Constitution does mandate appointing a commission to investigate conditions of socially and educationally backward classes and recommend steps to be taken by the government, but our politicians use caste only for electoral planning, nothing else.

The Constitution required quotas to end within a decade of its promulgation, i.e. 1960, but politicians continue to increase the quota system. They even ignored Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s call to link quotas with financial status. Moreover, governments have ‘failed to provide adequate schooling to the teeming number of children.

According to estimates, there are 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes prevalent in India. The rural scene is atrocious, with untouchability as rampant as in the pre-Independence era, while government sloganeers “‘Sab Ka Sath, Sab Ka Vikas’”.

Are we not ashamed that in the 75th year of our Republic, a Dalit Sarpanch in Madhya Pradesh is denied a chair in the Panchayat meeting, and told to bring one from her home or stand. This is only a small example. This type of untouchability is also seen in semi-urban areas.

https://x.com/nramind/status/1827957079392297174?t=vyk5MGJViJsuQGRBkxOMOA&s=03.

Ironically, our politicians and proponents of Hindutva fail to acknowledge that this was one major reason for “conversions” they keep hollering about. Will the present government do something about this or will the ‘chalta hai’ attitude continue with sole focus on how to undermine political opponents and win elections?

Concurrent to the above is the hunger for votes, because of which governments, including the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in power for more than a decade, have not made any effort to bring a Population Control Bill.

This, despite galloping unemployment, which according to an India Today ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey (whatever its flaws) stands at 74% - up 71% from February 2024 https://x.com/SushantSin/status/1827743635917443405?t=PPclJymsQnVw8WyjNE4HIw&s=08

Unfortunately, our politicians have the habit of creating rhetoric just for the sake of diverting attention from the “real” issues and earning political brownie points. Take for example the actor-MP, Kangana Ranaut, claiming that “rampant rapes” took place during the farmers protest and that bodies were “hung on trees”.

Was the media blind to these allegedly happening? Were the police drones covering the protests blinded by China? Some opine on social media she was probably dreaming of casting herself in a future movie with such a script? No doubt shame is not part of the lexicon of politicians and there is no limit on bootlicking.

Incidentally, it was good to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi call for women safety on August 15, 2024 and later about ‘beti bachao’, and stricter laws. But what did we do after the Nirbhaya rape and murder?

Many juveniles commit rapes-murders, some a second time as well. The most brutal-vicious juvenile in Nirbhaya rape was only sent to a juvenile home.

Rape is fourth most common crime against women in India. The 2021 annual report of National Crime Records Bureau shows 31,677 registered rape cases across India (averaging 86 daily) and 10% victims below 18 years. These figures would have gone up since.

Are we serious about punishing rapists beyond seeking political mileage? Why are laws for juvenile rapists separate?

Why is the process of law so damn slow? How about introducing capital punishment and/or chemical castration for rapists where has been proved?

Why are convicted rapists Asaram Bapu and Gurmit-Ram-Rahim getting parole periodically? Save me the gibberish about the government not interfering in the judiciary, isn’t it evident that Gurmit-Ram-Rahim is on three-week parole because of the Haryana elections? Isn’t it time we wake up and come down to earth?

Lt General Prakash Katoch is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed here are the writer’s own.