What could be there in common with the Jewish King Herod of 2,000 years ago, Donald Trump, the disgraced ex-President of the USA and our present Indian central  government and  BJP ruled states? It is abuse of power and insensitivity to human feelings. While it was in the extreme in the case of Herod and Trump, it is less so in the case of our  government but its growing  leaning towards authoritarianism cannot be overlooked or taken lightly. No one can predict where it could end as  the government has a steam roller majority in the Parliament and crucial legislation is often passed as ordinance or without any serious debate in the Parliament particularly under the shadow of Covid 19 virus.  

Let us take the case of Herod first. He had no scruples in ordering the massacre of babies under two years of age throughout Bethlehem in order to make doubly sure   the elimination  of the Baby Jesus. It did not matter to him that he was plunging so many families in deep  sorrow and distress in slaughtering tender limbs.  The next shocking incident is the whimsical  execution of John the Baptist during the king’s  birthday celebrations. In his drunken euphoria  and intoxication with beauty he was crazy to order the beheading God’s prophet  and crazier still in having his bleeding severed head brought on a dish to the birthday party . 

The next in line in insensitivity and power craze is Donald Trump the ex-president of the USA. He clamped down cruel administrative measures against hapless immigrants, rounded them up and separated even small children from their distraught  parents triggering in them huge emotional traumas. When he  found that the election results were going against him he called the election  a fraud. Then he ordered election officials to commit actual fraud by overturning the results. In other words personal loyalty to him should come before love for  the country.  When that  too  failed he had no qualms in organizing and orchestrating a violent attack on the Capitol in Washington to prevent the final certification of the  winner  by the Congress. In this insurrection violence against officials and even murder of Senators and high officials were contemplated. When somehow this also did not fully  succeed he disowned the rioters and called them traitors. In all this he found  no wrong and equally disgraceful is the conduct of  the majority of Republican Congressmen who even now stand by him endorsing even  his murderous plans. Has basic  decency vanished  for  good  from ‘the land of opportunities’?

And now we turn to our own dear mother land. Here the cow counts over  humans for  the  government. Slaughtering  and eating of beef is a terrible crime more heinous than gang rape , killing or burning of victims. Inter- religious marriages are more infuriating  to the government  than showing red cloth to the angry  bull. In such marriages religious conversion is automatically presumed and this is considered even more dangerous for national security than the Chinese deep penetration into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Except brave words from our PM nothing effective  has been done to reclaim lost Indian territory. Endless futile talks with  the Chinese and protesting farmers have become the order of the day.

In UP and some other BJP ruled states if any interreligious marriage takes place you  can expect the police  to land there posthaste  accompanied by  local goons to interrupt the marriage in the middle of the ceremony. This is a peculiar brand of sadism. Instead of the sacred  first night of the couple both will face police interrogation within the grim walls of police station. Even anonymous rumours of conversion are  enough to land the couple and their families in  trouble. In the place of married bliss they will begin their honeymoon hearing raucous  taunts of police men.  Constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion and the high national integration through mixed marriages are thrown to the winds of  obnoxious communalism. 

In this surcharged communal paranoia even  school children are not spared. It is enough that a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy  discuss school lessons together  for a case of religious conversion to be slapped on them. Where will it  end? Maybe soon people of different religions will be scared to  talk to each other in buses or trains? Will this cause another wave of migration to Pakistan or will it turn India into a nation of insecure increasing minority ghettoes? 

The central government is also showing unmistakable signs of authoritarianism. Any criticism of the government could invite imputation of treason or anti-nationalism. It has mistaken its steam roller majority in Parliament for  a blanket fiat  by the nation to do whatever it pleases without rhyme or  reason, debate or discussion. Brazenly anti-Constitutional laws are brashly passed from time to time driving citizens to the wall. After passing three controversial farm laws in a hurry in the Parliament without taking the farmers into confidence it is facing protracted farmers’ agitation. After oppressing its own citizens it cannot tolerate social activists  like Fr . Stan Swamy who try to defend the cause of the tribals and the oppressed  against multi-nationals. No  wonder the big corporations are mightily  pleased with the farm laws and the ‘growth oriented’ budget. Never mind the growth is lopsided only for the multinationals with poor crumbs for the common man. There is a proliferation of conspiracy theories alleged by  the government against  protesting  farmers,  social workers and now latest from international celebrities and icons like Greta Thunberg and pop singer Rihanna.  According  to knowledgeable spokes persons of the government these celebrities   are ignorant and irresponsible as if their single mission in life is to discredit India. The police in misguided fervour and overreach have filed vague FIRs against them  to the amusement of international media and public.    It is unfortunate that farmers and world icons have been bracketed with India baiters  in Pakistan or elsewhere.

Who will save the nation in these troubled times? Can we rely  on the judiciary? Not so certain today with several controversial judgements of the Supreme Court favouring the government, like the Babri Masjid Case and constitution of an  advisory committee to solve the farmers’ protests in which most members were known to support the government. The latest issue are  the anti-conversion bills in the context of marriage, so  called ‘love jihad’ , passed in UP and other BJP states. These bills offend the guaranteed rights of citizens and  so they have approached the  Supreme Court for relief  but it has found it fit to counsel patience to the petitioners till the SC hears the opinion of the high courts in this matter. If the SC has any concern for affected  citizens it should give priority to hearing  these constitutional cases . These controversial laws should be held in abeyance till the courts finally dispose of the matter.  As a result of this indifference couples are arrested whimsically in the middle of inter religious marriages and taken to police station marring sacred wedding rituals. Not so traumatic as John the Baptist’s beheading, you may say,  but bitter enough to leave indelible  scars on memories of the wedding day. What kind of culture are we moving into where the police and official machinery have become so hard -hearted, devoid of human feelings? Do the law enforcers find some dubious joy in this soft sadism they indulge in?

In the days of the British raj Indians had no remedy against the atrocities of a foreign government. Today citizens have the courts to safeguard their legitimate  rights. But in case of conflict between rights of citizens and power of the government can the citizens expect neutral umpiring by the  courts of law ? Should the law courts side with a bigoted government against hapless citizens whose only hope for relief is the legal system? Will they favour the might of the state against the oppressed citizens? If they do so what will be the political fallout for the nation? Can they follow Donald Trump who expected judges appointed by him to prefer personal loyalty to him to allegiance to the Constitution?  It is their duty to uphold the Constitution against the autocratic tendencies of the government and assure legal fair play.   The courts are the last refuge of citizens who are harassed by remorseless, power misusing governments. The trust that the public place in our esteemed courts should not disappoint.