Shindig of 'Public Conscience'

Published by Countercurrents.Org

Based on the imbroglio of ‘public-conscience’, Yakub Memon was hanged on 30^th of July in what later turned out to be an episode of ‘cold-blooded murder’ convened by the state itself. The so-called notion of public-conscience, mooted whether in heydays of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) or in days of ‘development-utopia’ of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), keeps a lethal etiology. This public-conscience i.e. Jan-Chetna—to call it in vernacular parlance—has compelled the largest democracy to metamorphose into a living graveyard through a continuum of regressive events.

Etymologically, ‘conscience’ is required to have such attributes as integrity, morality, and ethics. It should represent a vitalized or living state of affairs in an awakened and rational human fraternity. Conscience, in brief, ought to be a ‘verdant’ phenomenon in a progressive human society which in general is supposed to give vitality to the whole democracy, its environment, its wildlife, its polity its economy, etc. and to give, in particular, justice—social, political, economic—to minorities and backward masses.

In much beleaguered instances that India witnessed recently in 2013 and 2015, this conscience alleged to be asserted by the ‘public’, has become ‘cadaveric conscience’. And if the trend continues with its all equations so framed, Indian democracy in near future will awake to a systemic hangover leading to a cul de sac. There is no denying the fact that Yakub Memon was guilty of national trespass and therefore deserved the ‘reasonable’ punishment based on the Law of Land and not on an amorphous concept known as ‘public-conscience’. Law should have a tread its own logical-cum-natural path but it is extremely bewildering when one sees the Law, premised on logic, reason, objectivity, and evidence, yields to the illogical, irrational, and subjective version of public-conscience.

Public-conscience, about which references were/are being made, is in fact the business of a huge bunch of crooks. This ilk of public-conscience has nothing to do with scientific temper, intelligence, reason and logic—essential factors which a Welfare State must stand upon. The rational thesis of analysis of Indian population at large will portray that a lion’s share of Indian masses are not even sensible or wise; and unfortunately this ignorant cohort of people contributes to what we are now compelled to call ‘public-conscience’. For instance, take the case of rivers in India and their mythological importance. Rivers are highly venerated in India due to their alleged heavenly origin. They are supposed very akin to a ‘mother’ who gives birth to her baby and cherishes them. No other country assures such a great status to rivers other than India, albeit mythological. To the very irony, on the other hand, most of highly polluted rivers of world are found in none other than India! Similarly, India has a great deal of Mullahs and religious orators who call for practising Tauheed (Monotheism) among Indian masses. They [reluctantly] vouch for ‘One God’ but are blind to the reality that their own community is ravaged by sectarian strife which is partly due to their own obstinacy and partly by the dint of ignorance of their followers! This is India’s so-called public-conscience that has seldom gone through the basic tenets and requirements of their very dear subject called dharma, deen or religion—whatever one may call it!

Human psychology is determined by the environment where we live in. In our country, now a days, environment is created, controlled and cashed by corrupt politicians [ineligible to be called as ‘leaders’], vendible mainstream media and novice social media. This politician-media troika creates an aura of ‘absolute gullibility’ by which masses can be turned to any direction to which political winds blow. When making of this aura or Mahaul reaches its climax, it reincarnate itself as ‘public-conscience’ or Jan-Chetna. Ultimately, people awfully find that the ‘development-icon’ selected [and later elected] by 31% public-conscience has not been found in their very land since last fourteen months and poverty, employment, health etc. are being reduced to as secondary matters! Those who constitute public-conscience, become mired in the vortex of logrolling and find themselves unable to assess what is good or bad for them. Just like by passers, they only exchange Jumla (chants) and Aaashvasan (convincement). As time passes, this public-conscience become a potential vote bank.

Yakub Memon was a Muslim and on account of public-conscience cherished by the social media, his Muslim credentials were proved lethal for him! In case of Memon, two types of public-conscience came in to play. First one paved the way for execution of Memon in form of court ruling and was charged by the other as ‘anti-Muslim’. The second was the one which portrayed itself to be ‘pro-Muslim’. Latter has social media as its domain. Alas! Either of them were not ‘pro-justice’. Ultimately, there existed a court ruling but not the justice! The moment court cleared Memon’s way to gallows, an aura was being created that Memon is a Muslim and his allegiance to his faith will get him killed by anti-Muslim conspiracies. There was only 'Muslim—anti-Muslim' uproar in social media. Rarely people talked about nature of punishment, justice etc. People who created such an aura were those who are now claiming themselves as champion for Memon’s cause and to the extreme are now calling Memon as Shaheed (Martyr)! It would have brought better results if Memon was considered guilty and not the Muslim.

The very pertinent point that was missed or made obscured amid this futile debate was that how the ‘surrendering’ Memon could be imposed with the punishment of his brother or others? And if it was being done then why did magnitude of punishment was so gigantic and repercussion so horrible? Why did the Constitution of India that is highly cautious even in the matters of ‘detention’ under Article 22 was put to oblivion and was made to suffer unprecedented hibernation? On what energy and spirit did the same polity work which declares double sentence for a single crime as violation of Fundamental Rights enshrined in Part III of the Constitution of India? These were some basic questions that sought rapt attention of general public, jurists, thinkers, politicians and intellectuals. But all such things were curbed by irrational debates under the influence of second type of public conscience. If first public conscience prepared the hanging noose, it was the second public conscience that pulled the lever in a trice leaving no time for debate and deliberations.

Finally, a question crops up that during all this national hodge-podge, what role was being played by the intellectual class of India? Indeed, they were quite restless on this depreciation in democratic texture of the country. Some of them wrote letters to the President of India. While others expressed their grief and anguish by writing in newspapers, magazine, and social media. All it seemed that such things were only for the sake of exhibition as no serious attempts were made to turn things upside down. They should have come on roads with their zeal of dissent so that dust of roads could peck their feet; so that the dust could not pile up on sacred Law of land and its hallowed principles; so that these irrational public-conscience could not endeavor to revive with such negative energies. But social media did not let them become social in real sense. In a democracy, everyone has right to express themselves. Generally, learned people are lesser in number than those who constitute perverted version of public-conscience. If intellectuals remain confined to webpages, idiots and unwise people take the reigns of affairs in public domain. Thinking and intellect should commensurate with physical actions, lest beasts become free to ravage the sytem in toto. Allama Iqbal rightly says:

Ho Fikr Agar Khaam To Azaadi-e-Afkaar

Insaan Ko Haiwan Banane Ka Tareeqa

(Tr. Freedom of thought with immature thoughts turns a man in to beast)