Introduction

The speaker thanks the audience for the opportunity to speak and acknowledges the importance of institutions like Monthan Sambad in promoting free speech and open dialogue.

Proposition 1: India's First Republic is Over

The speaker argues that India's first Republic, which began on January 26th, 1950, has ended. He explains that there are no simple solutions available to resume the journey and that continuing in a simple way is no longer an option.

• Continuing the journey further in a simple way is no longer an option.

• India's Journey as a democracy is not over.

• It is not merely a crisis of democracy but also a crisis of shared values, institutions, and political community.

• The crisis runs deeper than simply non-working democracy because it can be corrected during emergencies.

Proposition 2: There Are No Simple Solutions Available

The speaker argues that there are no simple solutions available to resume the journey.

• There is a possibility of going right or left.

• We are in for intense contestation conflict that will define our future for decades to come.

• This moment requires intervention provided we know what needs to be done and what should not be done.

Proposition 3: Intense Period That Will Define Our Future

The speaker argues that we are in for an intense period that will define our future for decades to come.

• Critical intervention at this moment has consequences for decades to come.

Proposition 4: This is the Moment to Intervene

The speaker argues that this is the moment to intervene, provided we know what needs to be done and what should not be done.

• This moment requires intervention provided we know what needs to be done and what should not be done.

• There are moments in history where critical intervention at that moment has consequences for decades to come.

• Historians will put a more precise date on when India's first Republic ended.

Crisis of Our Republic

The speaker explains why he calls it the crisis of our Republic and emphasizes the importance of understanding the effect of shared values, institutions, and political community.

• We are witnessing a crisis of shared values, institutions, and political community.

• The idea behind Republic is that it works if there is a political community.

The Democratic Capture

In this section, the speaker discusses how standard constitutional means of democracy have been used to demolish the spirit and values of democracy. He explains that a democratic capture has now congealed, leading to a hegemony in which power carries legitimacy.

The Power of State and Street

• The speaker explains that India is witnessing power of a kind which very few post-independent Indian regimes have exercised. It is state power, not merely of the Secretariat but also state power of the intelligence and military apparatus.

• He further adds that this state power is mixed with popularity and cultural and ideological dominance, all coming together to create a different level of problem altogether.

No Simple Resumption Possible

• The speaker states that it's not merely democracy but also Republic that is at stake. This is not a momentary trouble or even a deep but short-lived trouble; he believes we've crossed a certain Tipping Point.

• He adds that simple resumption recovery is not an option available because public has been effectively mobilized to dismantle the Republic.

Two Stark Options

• According to the speaker, the liberal Democratic middle Path State which was once tried during 2004-2014 probably has now ceased to exist.

• He says we now face two stark options: one option is the more likely direction in which we are drifting towards - electoral authoritarianism.

Feasible Version of Hindu Rashtra

• The speaker mentions that one possibility for India's future could be inscribed in the very structures of the Republic of India. It could be let's say, the most feasible version possible of Hindu Rashtra.

• He adds that this may well be the most feasible version possible of that dystopia that was presented to us. It broadly means three things: electoral authoritarianism, institutional capture, and cultural hegemony.

Elections are Here to Stay

• The speaker explains that elections are here to stay because in 21st century authoritarian regimes require popular endorsement. So the ritual of popular endorsement will happen episodically.

• He further adds that counting of votes may still be fair, but everything else may not be.

India's Direction: Electoral Authoritarianism, Non-Theocratic Majoritarian State, and Extractive Economic Growth

In this section, the speaker discusses the direction in which India is headed politically and economically. He identifies three key components of this direction: electoral authoritarianism, non-theocratic majoritarian state, and extractive economic growth.

India's Political Direction

• India has too many elections and the current regime is trying to solve that problem so that there is only one election every five years.

• The Constitutional apparatus of autonomous institutions is fragile and there is a higher toleration of deviation from constitutional norms.

• There is a move away from parliamentarian style governance towards a centralized system of governance.

• There are signals of Hindu hegemony being inscribed in the Constitution without declaring India as a Hindu state.

• Minorities are being reduced to second-rate citizenship status with de facto rungs of citizenship already introduced.

• Quotidian and symbolic forms of violence against minorities are likely to occur.

India's Economic Direction

• The model of economic growth in India is extractive with close relationships to select catalyst groups at the cost of equity and ecology.

• This political economy differs from earlier regimes where capitalism had a 10% discount.

Counter Hegemonic Road

• The soft option for change is gone; developing counter hegemony through hard options may be necessary.

Introduction

In this section, the speaker discusses five sources of resistance and conflict that arise due to the hegemony being imposed.

Resistance and Conflict

• The hegemony being imposed naturally invites resistance.

• Two weaker sources of resistance are democratic forces resisting the onslaught on civil liberties and struggles for secularism.

• However, these efforts are small and weak in the overall picture.

• Three stronger sources of conflict are regional divisions, caste divisions, and class divisions.

• These deeper contestations are more likely to play out in the years to come.

Struggles for Secularism

In this section, the speaker talks about how struggles for secularism can easily be twisted into a division between minority and majority.

Struggles for Secularism

• Any struggle for secularism can easily be converged into a division between minority and majority.

• Our democrat or secular politics has simply not found enough means to connect to majority opinion in this society.

• To try and create a struggle principle struggle on secularism by itself is something which the BJP would almost want and welcome.

Divisions and Cleavages

In this section, the speaker discusses three deeper contestations that are likely to play out in the years to come: regional divisions, caste divisions, and class divisions.

Regional Question

• The federal question is still alive in this country outside of the so-called Hindi Heartland.

• The regional question is still an issue that is alive and the regime has kind of skirted circumvented this question.

Social Question

• The social question, which is the caste division, is a deeper contestation that is likely to play out in the years to come.

Class Division

• The class division is another deeper contestation that is likely to play out in the years to come.

Contestation and Hegemony in India

In this section, the speaker discusses the contestation and hegemony in India. The regime is trying to establish an upper caste hegemony while quietly withdrawing from social justice policies. There is a possibility of coalition building and resistance, but it remains to be seen if they will be effective.

Fragmentation Strategy

• The regime has worked out intelligent ways of incorporating other castes and communities through micro-segmentation.

• They divide OBCs into tiny bits and approach each of them separately.

• Similarly, among Dalits, there is a Mahadalit strategy of fragmentation that has yielded dividends.

Class Issue

• The class issue is now more serious than ever before due to economic discontent arising from amateurish handling of the economy.

• Economic power and political power are connected, making the class issue even more pressing.

• Farmers' issues, unemployment, and price rise are all related to the class issue.

Possibilities for Resistance

• There is a possibility for coalition building and resistance against the upper caste hegemony.

• However, none of these possibilities offers any guarantee that they will resist effectively.

• Someone needs to mobilize and act on these possibilities.

Conclusion

• This is a moment in history where developments happen so rapidly with long-lasting consequences. It remains to be seen what will happen over the next year.

Introduction

The speaker believes that the current period could be decisive and discusses what should not be done to address the situation.

What Not To Do

• Waiting for the regime to collapse under its own weight is not a viable option.

• Trying to defeat BJP by playing its own game or using empty modism of the simple variety doesn't work.

• The simple chorus of opposition unity doesn't work either.

Opposition Unity

The speaker explains why opposition unity is not necessary nor sufficient, and why it's mistaken for a different reason.

Why Opposition Unity Doesn't Work

• Electoral geography of India makes opposition unity useful only in three or four states where it has already been worked out.

• What we need is a much bigger and deeper unity between political parties and people's movements of India.

People's Unity

• We need a wider unity of the people, not to be confused with electoral coalition of some parties.

Popular Struggles on the Ground

The speaker emphasizes that resistance to democratic capture cannot be limited to elections, but must happen on the streets.

Two Simultaneous Tasks

• There are two simultaneous sites where work has to happen: popular struggles on the ground and parliamentary politics.

Farmers Movement and the Battle of Ideas

In this section, the speaker discusses the alignment of farmers' interests with the historic goals of reclaiming the Republic. They also talk about how investing in farmers' movements can strengthen forces working towards renaming the Republic. The speaker then highlights two arenas where serious work needs to be done: unemployment and culture/ideas.

Farmers Movement

• In 2017, many people thought that the farmers' movement was a complete waste of time.

• However, things changed as the interest of farmers aligned with historic goals of reclaiming the Republic.

• The long-term class self-interest of farmers is aligned with recovering the Republic.

Unemployment

• Unemployment is a more difficult issue to unite around.

• There is a large potential protest movement in India around unemployment, but it remains fragmented.

Culture and Ideas

• Serious work needs to be done in this arena.

• Our Republic was lost because we lost a battle of ideas and failed to defend our constitution's values.

• The liberal secular elite has been cut off from ordinary people in India and must begin by educating themselves about Indian culture and civilization.

• Multiple fora for respectful conversations need to be opened up between people who disagree with each other.

• Inspiration can be taken from organizations like RSS who have worked hard for 90 years.

Recovering Our Republic: A Long-Term Cultural Battle

In this section, the speaker emphasizes that recovering our republic is a long-term cultural battle that requires preparation for long-term action. They highlight the need to win back cultural battles and educate ourselves about Indian culture and civilization.

• Recovering our Republic is a long-term cultural battle.

• Preparation for long-term action is required to recover our Republic.

• We have been illiterate about the culture and civilization of India, which needs to change.

• The liberal secular elite has been cut off from ordinary people in India and must begin by educating themselves about Indian culture and civilization.

Yatra and the Future of Indian Politics

In this section, the speaker talks about how Yatra has expanded the political spectrum in India and opened up new possibilities. He emphasizes that it is not enough to just participate in Yatra, but we must take responsibility for our country's future by actively working towards change.

The Impact of Yatra

• Yatra has expanded the political spectrum in India and made previously unspeakable things sayable.

• Mainstream politicians can now talk about controversial topics like Mr. Adani and RSS.

• Yatra has given hope where there was none before, but it is not a job done on its own.

Political Parties' Responsibility

• Political parties need to take initiative forward beyond Yatra.

• All political parties should work towards effective electoral intervention.

Our Responsibility

• We also need to do something to take the opening provided by Yatra forward.

• Bharat Jodo Abhiyan was started with a clear objective of working towards 2024 elections.

• The first year of Bharat Jodo Abhiyan focuses on communication through creating a "truth army" to combat lies spread by trolls.

• The second task is intervening specifically in chosen places for effective electoral intervention.

• Effective electoral intervention can be achieved if 500 people focus their energies on one constituency for one year.

Appeal for Action

• It's our responsibility as citizens to participate in bringing change to our country.

• Everyone can do something, no matter how small.

• This is a moment where every one of us can make a difference in our own way.

Political Process and Narrative Building

In this section, the speaker discusses the political process and the importance of narrative building in public opinion.

Chief Minister's Actions

• The chief minister has been successful in implementing policies on a larger scale with better results.

• The speaker wants to take inspiration from these policies for future competitions.

Fighting Against Corruption

• The chief minister has been clear about fighting against corruption.

• However, no political party has taken action against it.

• The speaker believes that this issue is suicidal for any political party.

BJP's Success

• BJP has consistently done the right things at the right time and place to win elections.

• Other parties have failed to do so, leading to their inability to compete.

Delimitation and Lokpal Movement

In this section, the speaker talks about delimitation and its impact on parliamentary seats. They also discuss their views on the Lokpal movement.

Delimitation

• Delimitation based on real population would result in Tamil Nadu losing six or seven parliamentary seats.

• Parliamentary constituencies are not proportional to population due to a social contract between different states.

• This contract cannot be undone by any government as it is a national agreement.

Lokpal Movement

• The speaker participated in the Anna movement but had reservations about Lopal as a solution.

• What mattered was not Lopal but rather the energy represented by the movement that needed addressing.

• There were deep infirmities within the movement, but overall, they do not regret participating in it.

BJP's Actions and Reasoning

In this section, the speaker discusses BJP's actions and reasoning.

BJP's Actions

• BJP has occasionally done the right things at the right time.

• However, when someone takes them on in a determined fashion, they step back.

Reasoning

• The speaker comments on problematic reasoning that suggests that if people had not supported the agitation, Congress would not have been delegitimized, and Modi would not have come to power.

• They believe there is something deeply problematic about this way of reasoning.

Farmers' Protest and Cultural Slavery

In this section, the speaker talks about the 2015 farmers' protest against the land acquisition law and how opponents are not always smart. He then goes on to provide a prescription for taking on the BJP and RSS, which includes reading, writing, and speaking in one's own language, educating oneself about cultural traditions of India, being positive instead of criticizing Mr. Modi, and using humor as a weapon against authoritarianism.

Prescription for Taking on BJP and RSS

• Read, write, and speak in one's own language.

• Educate oneself about cultural traditions of India.

• Be positive instead of criticizing Mr. Modi.

• Use humor as a weapon against authoritarianism.

Hinduism in Different Regions

In this section, the speaker raises questions about whether there is a unifying Hinduism that can work across different regions in India or if people feel disturbed by it.

Unifying Hinduism Across Different Regions

• What is Hinduism in Haryana? Bengal? Kerala?

• Is there a unifying Hinduism that can work across different regions or do people feel disturbed by it?

The Importance of Challenging the Hegemony

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of challenging the hegemony and how it is always evolving. They also talk about how India is much more than what is presented in the media.

The Evolving Nature of Hegemony

• No hegemony in the world ever is a done deal.

• It's always evolving and always fracturing.

• Every hegemony by its own nature and design creates discontent and potential fractures.

India Beyond Media Representation

• India is much more than the hatred that we are presented with.

• There is a vast India where these things actually don't matter that much.

• These ideas have a minority of majority support.

Call to Action for Saving Democracy

In this section, the speaker makes a call to action for saving democracy. They invite people to attend a meeting where they can discuss action plans and details.

Invitation to Attend Meeting

• Meeting at Kangaroo Kids School at 3 PM tomorrow.

• Those who want to save this Republic must come there.

• People from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh or anywhere else in the country are welcome.

Hinduism: A Critical Question

In this section, the speaker talks about Hinduism and how it has become fashionable among intellectual elites to criticize it. They also discuss how deeper engagement with Hinduism is necessary.

Criticism of Hinduism Among Intellectual Elites

• It has become fashionable to kick Hinduism among intellectual elites in India.

• Most people do not have courage to say anything about any other religion but because of certain intellectual conventions, it's the easiest thing to challenge Hinduism.

Deeper Engagement with Hinduism

• Deeper engagement with Hinduism is absolutely necessary.

• It carries a lot of oppressive, weird and stupid practices but also has enormous wealth of deeper ethics and cultural values.

• People like Gandhi had deeper engagement with Hinduism.

Introduction

The speaker talks about the potential site of resistance in Hinduism and how it is evolving into a new form that lends itself to political mobilization. He also discusses the systematic neglect of Hinduism by the elite of India, creating a cultural vacuum.

Hinduism as a Potential Site of Resistance

• The power of market and television has created a cultural vacuum in contemporary India.

• A new form of Hinduism is evolving, which lends itself to political mobilization.

• Shopping mall Hinduism is becoming popular where different deities are worshipped together.

• Festivals have become more prevalent in big cities over the past 20 years.

Neglect of Hinduism by Elite

• The elite in India have systematically neglected Hinduism for almost 100 years.

• This has created a cultural vacuum that has allowed for homogenization to become possible.

OBC St and Cast Question

The speaker agrees with his young friend's point on OBC ST things being right. He also talks about how difficult it is to uncover the upper caste hegemonic reality of power.

OBC ST Things

• BJP and RSS have invested deeply in addressing the cast question.

• Uncovering the upper caste hegemonic reality will take time.

Farmer and Unemployment Struggles

The speaker disagrees with his young friend's point on unemployment struggles being distracted by Hinduism. He believes that unemployment struggles against unemployment are fragmented and multi-stratified, making it a true political challenge to tie them up.

Farmer Struggles

• Farmers could not be fended off by talking about Hinduism or Sikhism.

Unemployment Struggles

• The real issue is that unemployment struggles against unemployment are fragmented and multi-stratified.

• It's a true political challenge to tie them up.

• If the movement against unemployment happens, it would release energy ten times more than the one released by farmers' movement.

BJP in South India

The speaker talks about how BJP has made trade inroads in Hindi hard time but not in South India. He believes that the Muslim question is playing a role, but beyond Hindu-Muslim question, there should be something else that they are unable to understand.

BJP in South India

• BJP has not made many trade inroads in South India.

• RSS's impact on Kerala is very serious.

• Religion is part of our public culture and political culture.

The Role of Politics in Divisions

In this section, the speaker discusses how politics is based on divisions and how it is the job of competitive politics to divide society. He also talks about how religion can be used as a fault line in politics.

The Art of Politics

• Politics is based on divisions.

• Competitive politics aims to divide society.

• Religion can be used as a fault line in politics.

• The art of politics is not about erasing these lines but crafting divisions that bypass them.

Stand-up Comedy and Political Satire

In this section, the speaker mentions the rise of stand-up comedy and political satire as a way to criticize politicians and governments. He also talks about how these comedians often have to perform secretly due to government censorship.

Stand-up Comedy and Political Satire

• Stand-up comedy and political satire are becoming more popular forms of criticism.

• Comedians often have to perform secretly due to government censorship.

Class Struggle and Revolution

In this section, the speaker discusses class struggle and revolution. He talks about how poor people are not necessarily revolutionary by nature, despite what some theories suggest. He also mentions that economic conditions post 1991 have made class issues more salient than before.

Class Struggle and Revolution

• Poor people are not necessarily revolutionary by nature.

• Economic conditions post 1991 have made class issues more salient than before.

• There is no necessity for poor workers, farmers, Dalits, and Adivasis to come together.

• Political parties that came to power with the upsurge of the poor have been regressive and destructive.

The Need for Positive and Realistic Dreams

In this section, the speakers discuss the need for positive and realistic dreams in Indian politics. They talk about how the current political climate is bereft of spiritual depth and how leaders need to believe in the country's values to create a great future.

Selling Alternate Dreams

• The only way to respond to false propaganda is by selling alternate and better dreams.

• India needs positive alternative dreams that are realistic and present a possibility for a great future.

• If we start believing in these things, it will come true.

Lack of Spiritual Depth in Politics

• Indian politics is not spiritually anchored, which makes it difficult to sell genuine dreams.

• Leaders need spiritual depth to truly believe in their vision for the country.

• People can sense spiritual strength, which is critical during emergencies.

Gandhi as an Example

• Great leaders don't have to be great orators; they need spiritual depth.

• Gandhi was not a good orator but had spiritual depth that attracted people.

Modi's False Propaganda

In this section, the speakers discuss Modi's false propaganda and how it promotes negative consumables. They also talk about how his positivism is based on negative falsehood propaganda.

Modi's Tourism Strategy

• Modi's tourism strategy is based on false propaganda that promotes negative consumables.

• His positivism is actually based on negative falsehood propaganda that hides reality.

Puncturing Modi's Lies

• Modi lies every day, and the only way to respond is by puncturing his lies.

• We need to talk about how the things we are doing are not going to take us where we want to go.

Need for Positive Attitude

• It's difficult to maintain a positive attitude when there is something that needs to be corrected completely.

• Simply talking about negative things makes us sound very negative.