Symptoms

• • The right to dissent, dissidence, and disobedience is inbuilt in democracy.
  • They may be right or wrong in expression, timing, emotions, the platform chosen. Still, they have a right to do it. 
  • But, they should extend the same right to those they address their dissent, to choose their timings for redressing them on merits it deserved. 
  • If the response is not as per their expectation they should not get desperate, depressed, and commit political suicides.
  • Maybe their egos were hurt. Maybe they were insulted or not consulted as before or as expected; they were a relatively better candidate with merit still overlooked. It may all be a play of self-doubts, insecurities of personal or group interests, and demand for better recognition. 
  • If some or many of the above symptoms are not there then it is not a democracy.
  • One has to wait for opportunities for discussions which are a way out in democracy for solving any problem. 
  • But patience and ability to listen, evaluate objectively has become a rare commodity.
  • Democracy is not only for demanding your rights but while doing so it should also ensure and do justice to others’ rights.

Discussions 

• • While we are discussing dissent, dissidence, disobedience, and democracy, mainly the Congress party is kept in mind as it is more or less the only democratic party around with a natural fertile ground for politicians with these characteristics.
  • While implementing the green revolution they were inadvertently breeding politicians seeking an equal distribution of power and wealth for them. Perhaps it is good. Socialism has gone deep into their skin and blood. But the concern should be more for the people than for themselves.
  • But the extent to which they are taking their dissent, dissidence presently is unbelievable.
  • Their utterances and dramas are more like a comedy show if we discount the discomforts and embarrassments they cause to their own leaders.
  • A frank, open, public discussion will be a great asset in a true, complete democracy. It may not be a politically practical and wise proposition in the present state of our democracy if they intend to correct the ailments within their party adopting an open style. 
  • It may become a tool for the opposition which may further weaken the party. 
  • The patient has to withstand the surgery that may have to be done. Maybe Congress is waiting to gain strength vis-a-vis their opponents.

Realities

• • It does indicate that an internal analysis of all issues, proactive or post-facto in the background in a cool, conducive atmosphere is required.
  • Whatever may be the reason behind it, senior leaders have not provided adequate space for analysis of all issues within internal forums, to produce more effective, conclusive solutions. 
  • While such delays, avoidance cannot be defended, there is another side to this. A reluctance to open up wounds and resultant procrastinations do happen. 
  • Sometimes when it is done they are not brought before open forums for full discussions as they may open up mutual accusations, that will have an unsettling effect on the organization. 
  • The atmosphere in open discussions within a party forum is loaded with displays of outbursts, emotions, and angry, hostile counters to them on even inane issues with an inadequate understanding of the facts.
  • In this game of politics, conglomerates of people with different backgrounds, composite cultures, education, mindset, behaviour, complexes, egos, pride, prejudices play together. They should accept the reality and they should show a broader heart to accept them as equals with mutual respect.
  • Beyond the divides of all types including education and intellect, many do develop civility and courtesy in public, but their innate qualities stand exposed when their conscious self goes out of control.
  • Leaders should be more human to understand, especially when they are in active politics and public life.

Characteristics of communication

• • Sometimes communication gaps are more due to gaps developed by faster, easier facilities available and fluency in language than lack of it.
  • If one side communicates and the other side does not respond fast, it creates a wedge, suspicion. 
  • Impatience,  oversized egos, complexes widen it and do make it difficult to bridge them.
  • It is not a misunderstanding but a deficiency to understand the personalities or circumstances that lead to the responses or lack of it. 
  • Characteristics of personalities, their leadership style, approaches, circumstances may be different from what one presumes. Some may be averse to sycophancy and backbiting. 
  • If one feels uncomfortable about his leader giving more attention to his pet, maybe the contents of discussion and intentions behind it possibly were not right.
  • Naturally, these disappointed persons go to the right places where they can wag their tail and get some free bites.
  • Moreover one has to understand that top leaders also have only 24 hours a day and they do take the help of assistants. There is scope for misses when it travels through other hands. 

Corrective mechanism

• • Meaningful discussions, effective, result-oriented decisions require a complete analysis of available and procurable information, ideas, suggestions followed by interaction, and evaluation of the analysis done. 
  • Perhaps on most of the issues, problems it does not happen if we go by the outcome, results reported. 
  • A permanent structure to take up all issues in a background setup is needed though they do have a research cell, to look into specific areas. This cell may not be enough for Congress to rejuvenate and restructure it. 
  • If few failures happen one may leave it to normal course corrections. If such failures are repeated over decades, then decaying of the structure is obviously indicated. There is a need for systemic corrections and a deeper, objective analysis, corrective action for setting right the organization to overcome such failures. 

Endnote

• • Congressmen collude for voicing dissent not for solving problems.
  • If dissent, dissidence, disobedience, are part of democracy then discussions are also an essential part and tool to solve them. 
  • Congress has abundant talents and experience, unlike its opponents. It has failed to utilize them to set right it’s organizational weaknesses. They should collectively, constructively think ahead and act.
  • Some find solace in blaming Rahul for current failures. The decay started more than 5 decades back even before the birth of Rahul. Are they going to blame the birth of Rahul or that of the Congress?
  • It is unfortunate.