Alive and kicking
by
Javed Hafiz |
Although the phenomenon of political dynasties is visible in many nations from Congo to the Philippines, the South Asian region has displayed a particular proclivity for it.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all had their dynasties and some are still alive and kicking.
Inder Malhotra, who has written a book on this subject, believes that these dynasties will not disappear any time soon. The upper and middle classes in South Asia do not, by and large, favour this phenomenon but the masses have certain fascination for these dynasties.
A broad section of masses may be paupers but they do not grudge the high profile or even opulent life style of leading political families. Some of them have been, at times, pushed out of power by the voters or military dictators but have invariably staged a come back, thanks to the popular support.
Jawahar Lal Nehru ruled independent India for its first seventeen years, strengthened its democracy, and gave it a public sector oriented economy aimed at protection of Indian industries and a non aligned foreign policy.
In an era marked by decolonisation, he stood out in the list of outstanding world leaders like Chao En Lai, Sukarno, Nasser and Tito. Although replaced by Lal Bahdur Shastri, he had groomed his daughter Indira Gandhi for a leadership role. Indira Gandhi was loved and hated by the Indians, at the same time. Her achievements are many but imposition of emergency, hitting at the base of democratic India, was her most glaring failure.
Indira Gandhi groomed her son Sanjay, whom Malhotra calls spoilt super-brat, as her successor. The role fell to the other son, Rajiv, who was not prepared for it mentally or otherwise.
Rajiv paid with his life for his mother’s foreign policy initiatives. His widow Sonia, son Rahul and daughter Priyanka are big names of Indian politics today.
On December 30, last year Bhutto was added as middle name for Bilawal Zardari, Benazir Bhutto’s son.
Like Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto has been the most loved and hated leader in Pakistan.
So strong was his spell on the people that a number of Pakistanis committed or tried to commit suicide when he was executed in 1979.
Bhutto based his politics on strong Pakistani nationalist credentials. However, he had a definite fascination for Nehru as an Indian and international leader with a deep understanding of history and politics. Both Indira and Bhutto decided to hold elections in 1977 which proved to be their Waterloo.
Indira was voted out of power due to her emergency related unpopularity. Bhutto won elections by rigging them and had to face public outcry and a massive movement against his rule which had lost moral legitimacy. His son Murtaza was an impetuous maverick. Raja Anwar, the erstwhile leftist student leader, calls him the terrorist prince.
Daughter Benazir, who had been groomed by her father for a leadership role, became prime minister in 1988, the first female head of government in the Islamic world.
Sri Lanka, the Emerald Island, has had a formidable dynasty of its own. It started with prime minister Bandarnaike in 1956, who was killed in 1959. His wife Sirimavo Bandarnaike continued in power for a long time. She will always carry the exclusive distinction of being the first woman prime minister in the world.
Although Sirimavo had risen to power on a “flood of tears” she was quick to learn the ropes and became an outstanding leader in her own right. Decisive and resolute, she may have unwittingly sown the seeds of Tamil insurgency. Chandrika Kumaratunga, her daughter, was the third leader from the family.
Founding father of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib Ur Rehman was brutally assassinated in 1975. His daughter, Sheikh Hasina, emerged as a leader and was elected twice as the prime minister. Her opponent, Khalida Zia, is the widow of another assassinated president, General Zia Ur Rehman.
Some journalists, with a good sense of humour, have called them the “battling begums”.
Thus all four countries have produced formidable female leaders. Some years ago, Erum Khawaja, a Pakistani journalist, called them “Asia’s roaring tigresses.”
So what are the commonalities here? Firstly all these dynasties have been struck by gruesome tragedies. They have all paid for their political ambitions through their blood. Secondly, since South Asian people are sensitive and emotional, all dynasties have got substantial sympathy vote after each tragedy.
Rajiv’s murder in 1991 brought the Indian National Congress to power again.
Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, last December, brought lots of votes to the Peoples Party of Pakistan in last elections.
While the Congress party of India considers Rahul and Piryanka its assets, the PPP in Pakistan may have to lean on Bilawal in the next elections. While discussing the dynasty phenomenon, Dipankar Gupta thinks that South Asia’s modernity is only “skin deep.”
In 1991, when out of power, Benazir arranged a meeting of South Asian leaders in Islamabad and said: “South Asia’s dynasties have rendered a great service and it would be in the region’s best interest if these dynasties were back in power.”
Do you agree with her statement? I, for one, do not as I think South Asia should now grow out of dynastic rules. But my thinking may be proven wrong by the masses at the polls.
Javed Hafiz is a former Pakistani ambassador to the Sultanate.
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