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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a...

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a familiar script where an allegedly unassuming public figure embraces personal sacrifice and a reluctant government buckles under mounting moral pressure. But history does not repeat itself on command. Anna Hazare’s fast in 2011 succeeded not because fasting possesses mystical political powers, but because it rode a tidal wave of public anger against corruption. Millions identified with the cause. That equation is conspicuously absent today. The platform that ought to have belonged to students who suffered from the NEET paper leak, or to parents whose children bore its consequences, instead became crowded with the usual constellation of professional activists, ideological campaigners and political fellow travellers. The faces dominating the stage were not those most directly affected by the scandal. A movement demanding educational accountability gradually came to look like another gathering of Delhi’s permanently aggrieved activist class. Even Wangchuk appeared to sense the contradiction. During the protest he reportedly lamented that while he was observing an indefinite fast, many around him were happily eating meals, urging at least a token one-day fast in solidarity. Successful protest movements depend upon authenticity. Once the public begins suspecting that an individual is being deployed less as a leader than as a moral accessory for someone else’s ideological project, sympathy quickly evaporates. Nor does Wangchuk arrive without controversy. Questions have been raised over the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, the educational organisation associated with him, and over allegations regarding subsequent foreign funding arrangements. Critics have also challenged aspects of the carefully cultivated public mythology surrounding his achievements, from the origins of the ice-stupa concept to the popular belief that he inspired the protagonist of 3 Idiots. These matters deserve scrutiny on their own merits rather than hagiography or character assassination. The greater failure here surely belongs to the protest’s organisers. The CJP has mistaken optics for momentum and symbolism for public sentiment. Instead of allowing the victims of the NEET scandal to speak for themselves, they attempted to manufacture another national conscience by placing a familiar face at the centre of the stage. Political legitimacy cannot be outsourced to celebrity. Nor can mass movements be assembled from social-media influencers and habitual protesters. Anna Hazare became powerful because the public chose him. Attempts to manufacture his successor merely underline how rare such moments really are.

Digital Disconnect

Updated: Jan 10, 2025

Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s tech-savvy Chief Minister, has championed the integration of technology across the state’s excise and revenue departments. His latest proposals — from faceless registration of revenue documents to GIS-based land measurements — signal a promising leap into the digital age. However, as the corridors of power embrace digital transformation, it is crucial not to overlook the fundamental purpose of the Mantralaya as a bastion of accessibility for the common man.


Fadnavis’s reforms, while commendable, walk a fine line. The push for ‘One State, One Registration’ and drone-assisted land surveys underscores the CM’s vision for streamlining governance and increasing transparency. In theory, these measures reduce bureaucracy and create a more citizen-friendly environment. Allowing people to register documents remotely or access precise land records will save countless hours otherwise wasted in government offices. However, technology’s allure should not eclipse the irreplaceable value of human connection.


There is a latent danger in equating technological solutions with the complete resolution of governance challenges. A case in point is the envisioned security system at the Mantralaya, incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) for tighter access control. Fadnavis rightly aims to tackle security issues and eliminate presence of brokers by mandating online registrations and tracking entries and exits. At the same time, the introduction of rigid access controls might inadvertently deter genuine petitioners, particularly those from rural or marginalized backgrounds who often lack the digital literacy or resources to navigate these systems. The Mantralaya has been a physical and symbolic space where citizens could voice grievances and seek direct redressal from state’s highest echelons.


Fadnavis’s observation that 70 percent of complaints could be resolved at the district level is valid and underscores the inefficiencies of the current grievance redressal system. However, the solution lies in improving district-level governance, not limiting access to the Mantralaya. Citizens flock to the state capital not out of choice but out of frustration with lower-level bureaucratic inertia.


Fadnavis’s administration must avoid the trap of over-reliance on technology. Digital solutions are tools to enhance governance, not barriers that distance citizens from decision-makers. Moreover, while AI systems at the Mantralaya’s gates might weed out brokers, they cannot replace the accountability and trust that personal interactions foster. Fadnavis’s emphasis on modernizing Maharashtra’s governance is undoubtedly forward-thinking. However, technology must be an enabler, not an isolator. The Mantralaya’s role as a haven for the common man must be preserved, even as the state embraces digitization. Striking this balance will determine whether governance model becomes a national benchmark or a cautionary tale of technological overreach. The CM would do well to remember that a human connection is not just a sentimental relic of the past but an essential ingredient for effective governance. In his pursuit of a digitally empowered Maharashtra, Fadnavis must ensure that Mantralaya remains a symbol of accessibility, not fortress of exclusivity.

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