Vox populi, vox Dei!!!

So finally Jallikattu happened.  May not be with the usual pomp and religious fervour. But with a lot of pride and chest thumping. After all, it was only made possible thanks to the collective will of the Tamil people which made the Governments heed to their demand for revoking the ban on Jallikattu.  A ban which dates back 3 years. The Jallikattu bull was tamed after the TN Government and the Central Government fixed the judicial match hurriedly by passing an ordinance in its favour. I say hurriedly because the passing of the ordinance didn’t happen after elaborate discussions.  Or after considerations of pros and cons.  May not be even after looking at different perspectives and after effects.  In all the 3 years they had as it should be when laws are made/amended. This happened as a knee jerk reaction to the people’s movement which overtook the streets of Chennai first and www soon which rattled the already tentative State Government. As is the wont these days, social media played its part to the “T” in mobilizing people at will.  Vox populi (Voice of the people) won the day!

As expected, this immediately triggered protests in the neigbouring state of Karnataka to lift the ban on its bull sport the Kambala. As we speak, attempts are underway to copy/paste the “Marina Model” the get the sport going. Going by the initial response of the Govt. it appears like Win No. 2 for Vox populi!

And this may not be the last. Inspired by these wins, more and more causes – some genuine and some not will be taken up in the streets and in social media. The conventional media in its quest to stay relevant will play the dutiful bridesmaid. Unlike the traditional yesterday’s protests which were pretty much local in nature that can be quelled by a lathi charge or a tear gas burst, the modern day protests which play smartly in smart phones and minds of interested people all over the world are impossible to control.  Ergo, more often than not Governments of the day are likely to succumb to the “viral” pressure and pass/amend laws that will pander to the campaigners, the genuineness of the cause notwithstanding.

The moot question is “What’s wrong with Vox populi?” After all in a democracy a Government is supposed to be “Of the People, By the People and For the People”. So if the people willed in favour of a particular thing, shouldn’t the Government just go by the flow? If majority of people want a change isn’t it the duty of the Government to bring about that change? I think the answer to these questions are more nuanced than it seems at the outset.

In a democracy a Government is formed by a party/dispensation which has the majority vote. Indeed it owes its ascendancy to power to the people who voted in its favour. However once in power, it’s no more a Government for just the people who voted for it. It is supposed to be an inclusive Government for all its citizens. Hence it becomes necessary to look at all sides of the issue before a law is made or amended. Precisely the reason why in India, we have an Upper house called the Rajya Sabha which has indirectly elected and nominated members from various walks of life as members. Rajya Sabha also has to pass any legislation apart from Lok Sabha if it has to become a law. Like India, most of the democratic countries have their own checks and balances by which an inclusive view is taken while appropriating any law.

In that sense, more and more wins for Vox populi is a dangerous trend. Bucking the trend would mean that the Government of the day at times would have to ignore the raucous voice of its own constituency in taking a stand on certain issues. In a pure political sense this is easier blogged than done! What is easy and convenient of course is to say Vox populi, vox Dei (Voice of People is Voice of God) or its desi equivalent in Tamil – Makkal Theerpe Mahesan Theerpu and move on.

How I wish Abraham Lincoln actually said – “Government Of the People, By the People For All People shall not perish from the Earth”!!!