The pseudonym of Indian democracy is dynastic democracy, which in essence is democracy in all respect except for the hegemony of hereditary leaders who maintain dominant position to further their self-interest. Notwithstanding oxymora, dynastic democracy is not fiction; it is a working institution in India made legitimate by the people who love their dynastic leaders and follow them faithfully and edictally.

The history tells that the Dynastic democracy is not new to India. It is deep rooted in our culture because of our predisposition to Idolization. We throng public gatherings and heap honor, praise and buoyancy on our dynastic leaders and measure their effectiveness on the basis of hereditary charm rather than the quality of character.  The existing imbroglio of dynastic leadership evolved as the derivative of our new found democracy and became an overwhelming force.

Having said that the opposition to dynastic leadership is not based on the nature of our democracy; it is based on party politics. On the one hand, Mr. Arun Jailtely of the BJP wants to have a national dialogue, “whether only a leader born in a particular family should lead the country “, insinuating that Mr. Rahul Gandhi should be disqualified to be the Prime Minister because he comes from a particular gamily.  On the other, the newly installed leader of the BJP, Mr. Narendra Modi, wants to ride India of the Congress party and any influence the Nehru-Gandhi family has on the polity.

Besmirching of the Nehru-Gandhi family by the leaders of the BJP as the harbinger of dynastic leadership has been going on since the BJP was in incubation as Jan Sangh supported by the RSS.  The cry of dynastic leadership may persuade the supporters of the BJP but looking at the prevailing mindset of the masses at large, we cannot but conclude that the members of the Nehru- Gandhi family still stand in good stead and to attribute the infamy of dynastic leadership to them alone is hypocrisy and partisan hackery. If bashing the Congress and the Nehru Gandhi family is the only strategy the BJP has, then it has ghost of chance to sway the pendulum of public opinion. How can the leadership of the BJP reconcile with the masses who know that the members of the Nehru-Gandhi family are not despots and they have always abided by the verdict of the people?

I am not defending dynastic leadership; I am simply putting forth the idea that as incongruent as the dynastic leadership is for the BJP, it is disingenuous to ascribe its causes exclusively to the Nehru-Gandhi family. Of course, it is the prerogative of the opposition, which has not been taken away by the purported continuation of the dynastic rule of the Nehru Gandhi family, which the BJP leadership reviles so much, to try to dislodge the Congress; but, they should be reminded that it would be like diverting the flow of the Ganges from East to South. The idea to divert the flow of the Ganges has been on the drawing board for decades but it is still in the preplanning stages. Likewise, the elimination of the Congress has been proposed by so many that it has lost its credence. Let us face it: if the Congress could not get dismantled upon the advice of the Mahatma, the man from Gujarat, the other men of Gujarat, one real Gujarati and the other, a Gujarati by convenience, have no chance of success.

In conclusion, the dynastic rule is not the problem of the Congress or of the Nehru Gandhi Family; it is societal problem and its elimination lies in cultural transformation, not in the elimination of the Congress or the Nehru-Gandhi family.