A Tale of Two Elections

The American presidential election engenders interest all around the world every time. Domestic issues may predominate the minds of American citizens, the rest of the world's attention is primarily focused on the foreign policy matters, for there is hardly any part of the world where American foreign policy does not matter. The US is already deeply involved in the two wars raging in Europe and the Middle East. While the current Democratic administration is supporting and fueling the conflicts with political and material support (and brutally suppressing student protests in university campuses at home), Trump has vowed to resolve the conflicts (how?). Apart from this global situation, this year's US election is drawing more than usual world attention on account of some dramatic events unfolding as the election date draws near.   The spread of social media has brought these events in the drawing rooms all across the world. Here in India some English and Hindi YouTube channels have been covering US elections including the first presidential debate, Biden’s withdrawal from the race and of course the attempt on Trump's life. The “Indian connections” on either side of the political divide, - of Kamala Harris (likely democratic candidate) and of Usha Vance the wife of Republican VP nominee- have added flavour to the coverage. The impact of the outcome of the presidential race on world politics and on India-US relations is for the experts to speculate on. For a layman what is interesting is to watch and observe the national elections in these two countries- the whole course and spectacle preceding and leading to the final day of elections- the issues, the debates, speeches, campaigns, media coverage and above all the dramatis personae. After all, the US and India are often paired as the world's largest democracies.  Recently concluded cacophonic carnival of Indian national elections has not yet faded from the mind even as the US election scenario is unfolding. 

In a world witnessing increasing intensification of political divide, the US and India are today probably the most sharply divided societies in the world polarized around the personas of Donald Trump in the US and Narendra Modi here in India. Trump in his speeches and also in the debate with Biden has been dodgy, insulting and full of hyperbole, lies, personal attacks and bravado. The recent assassination attempt on Trump has boosted his appeal as a hero who defied death and reportedly also improved his chances to win the presidency. The Indian prime minister was aptly described as “Divider in Chief '' in a cover story that was featured by the Time magazine around the last general elections in India in 2019. Ever since he became the Prime Minister a decade ago, political and religious polarization has taken all pervading deep roots in India dividing social groups, universities, bureaucracy, police, to some extent judiciary etc.  Civilized discussions have become a rarity in social groups and even in families and friends. Polarization has percolated to the Indian diaspora as well. Trump likewise has been a polarizing figure ever since he appeared on the political horizon around the same time as Narendra Modi did and he, as his wont is bent on reviving polarization which had been somewhat subdued in the last four years. The fact that the two leaders have a lot in common in their character and style was evident at “Howdy Modi '' extravaganza of 2019 in the US when bonhomie between two was on display. The Indian leader even gave a rallying slogan wishing for his “dear friend” Trump's victory in the 2019 presidential elections (which he eventually lost amidst that infamous storming of Capitol hill by his supporters).  The favour was returned by organizing a “Namaste Trump” pageant in India soon after. Trump has a good number of followers in India among die-hard Hindus who celebrate his birthday and are currently praying for his victory, as they did at the time of the last two elections contested by Trump

The election campaign in India was not without a similar barrage of polarizing dog-whistles, lies and half-truths, personal attacks day in and day out from campaign speeches, social media and television debates. BJPs Hindu Nationalist agenda   is based on Islamophobia and “othering” of Muslims blaming the entire community for all the ills   and calling them infiltrators and conspirators and accusing them of launching “Love Jihad”, “population Jihad”, “Land Jihad” etc. against Hindus and Hindu religion. Latinophobia, if one may use the term, is a recurring refrain of Trump's electoral rhetoric with sweeping statements calling illegal immigrants from South America as rapists and murderers.   When it comes to personal insults and name calling Trump takes the cake with his vast repertoire of nicknames and epithets such as “crooked”, “crazy” “lunatic”, “loony” “sloppy”, “evil” and many more on similar lines. The Indian Prime minister addressed over 200 public meetings during about 3 months of campaign period. He has not addressed any press conference for the last ten years and gives interviews to only friendly journalists who are obsequiously deferential towards their guest. This time Modi was on an interview spree appearing in over 40 interviews on friendly channels. The interviews were scripted, there were no awkward questions, no follow up or counter questions and no calling out when being economical with the truth. Unlike in the US where candidates fight for their party nomination fiercely and publicly, Indian parties whether national or local are dominated by patriarchs and discussions and dissenting opinions are not tolerated.  Live face-to-face debates are shunned by Indian top leaders preferring instead to send party representatives to participate in free for all shouting and screaming verbal slugfest wherein nearly dozen small windows on TV screen with guests peeping through them can be seen talking and shouting simultaneously and the anchor outshouting them all and hogging the time and the screen. The mainstream corporate owned media channels have long given up any pretense of   impartiality and objectivity and have unabashedly become propaganda mouthpieces of the government and have earned the nickname “Godi” (Lapdog) media. I believe a large part of the media in the US whether it's TV, print or radio is still independent and free from any significant government interference. Recently a US radio talk anchor who had interviewed Biden was in the news for being asked to resign by the management when it was revealed that she had accepted written questions from Biden advisers. It was an instance of a breach of journalistic ethics. Such an action would be unthinkable in India although similar ethical code has been promulgated by the self- regulatory editor's guild.  Fortunately, a host of YouTube channels funded on subscriber contributions and public donations and run by independent commentators, influencers and news portals have appeared on the social media landscape and have provided outlets for alternate and dissenting views. In fact, many popular YouTube channels are founded by journalists who left mainstream media jobs in disgust and in protest.

By far the most critical aspect that stands out in the case of Indian elections held earlier this year is that it was a far cry from anything that can be called a level playing field.  All supposedly independent institutions- the bureaucracy, the police, the investigating agencies, the judiciary (particularly lower level) are under the thumb of the government and are also polarized. A number of opposition leaders are being persecuted with trumped up cases and put behind bars (with courts obligingly refusing bails). The Election Commission (EC) was patently partisan, first in extending the multi-phase election schedule to nearly two months so as to allow BJPs chief campaigners to travel all over the country.   EC then repeatedly ignored violations of model code of conduct such as communal and derogatory speeches. BJP has been the biggest beneficiary of donations by corporates under the so-called electoral bonds, a scheme now scrapped by the Supreme Court for being anonymous (unlike findings of political parties in the US) and   denying right to information to the voters. Opposition was thus forced to run a sprint race on a hurdles track. Despite all these odds, the opposition managed to deny BJP a parliamentary majority forcing it to form a coalition government with small regional parties. BJP, a rich and powerful party has a few tricks in its bag to deal with election reverses. Trump had claimed that the last election was “stolen”, a charge that could not be proved. Here in India BJP has perfected the art of “stealing” election by engineering defection of elected legislatures of other parties (using carrot and stick techniques) when in minority and has demonstrated it on many occasions in state elections. 

Narendra Modi and Donald Trump share another attribute- their claims to connections with divinity. In an interview during his campaign the Indian leader said in so many words that while earlier he used to think that his birth was biological but now his life experiences have convinced him that he was sent by God for a purpose and that God has given him strength, inspiration and guidance. He said this in all seriousness. This was not simply mixing politics with religion which has been the mainstay of BJPs politics. It was a claim to a superhuman status.  The fact is that “his life experiences' ' that he is referring to, I think, is primarily the personality cult and culture of sycophancy and ego- massaging that has been assiduously built up over the years.  He has been called “gift of god “, “modern Mahatma by his own party colleagues. After the recent assassination attempt on his life Trump supporters seem to believe what happened was a miracle elevating him to a god chosen superhero. Trump himself believes that it was divine intervention that saved him and that at the time of the incident he felt that God was with him. Here in India a spokesman of ISCON has “confirmed '' that it was indeed the God (and Lord Jagannath to be specific) who intervened to save Trump. 

The American people and the world are watching the ongoing pre- election verbal melee. Trump is already convicted by courts on charges of falsifying business records and some more trials and sentencing may occur before the elections and that may add to the ruckus. It would be foolhardy to predict the outcome of this presidential race. In the case of Indian elections, the actual outcome “trumped” the predictions of opinion polls by a wide margin. When asked during the first debate if he would accept the results in case he loses, Donals Trump was shifty and dodgy.  One can therefore safely predict some highly dramatic or even traumatic events in case Trump is declared the loser.