Pondering over ‘What if’ possibilities

I have been wondering what I can write in this column when all one hears and reads is yet more news on Covid and the political drama in state after state. No one in their sane mind wants to read any more on these subjects, least of all the opinion of a person who is neither a qualified political analyst, nor an epidemiologist.

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So, let our imagination run riot today. ‘What if?’ is a question that makes for delightful possibilities to ponder over and I must introduce you to this idle occupation. It’s like playing Antakshari with yourself. Imagine if certain events had not taken place, or had different dramatis personae. What would have happened if history had taken a different turn?

One need not even go back all the way down to the Mughals and the British and wonder what this country would have been like if it had no invaders or colonisers in its past. That is pointless, so let us come closer to today. What if Indira Gandhi had not been assassinated? Since we all know how reluctant Rajiv Gandhi was to enter politics and how bitterly Sonia Gandhi opposed his elevation as his mother’s successor, it is intriguing to think of what could have happened if he had declined to become India’s next Prime Minister. He may never have been assassinated and lived a life of a happy family man. The Congress party would have never degenerated into becoming a family firm, losing its brightest talents as one young leader after another left, feeling stifled and unrewarded.

Ironically, after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated and his reluctant widow was persuaded by the Congress party to take charge of its organisation, the principle of dynastic rule was firmly and irrevocably established. This soon became a pan-Indian phenomenon and in party after party, leaders were unwilling to consider passing the baton to anyone outside the family. So, a vibrant democracy slowly turned into a feudal oligarchy. Today, it is difficult to find a single political party that has held inner-party elections and allowed talent to emerge. So, how are we different as a republic from the old bad days of princely rule?

Let us also now look at the next interesting alternative. What if PV Narasimha Rao had not taken the bold economic reforms that he did? Where would India be today? Even his worst critics will admit that the opening up of the Indian economy by his Finance Minister, Manmohan Singh, liberated us from the eternal cycle of poverty and dole. Yet, had we persisted in the old socialist tradition of state-controlled licences, we would have been no better than those African countries that are rich in resources, but unable to use them profitably. The stranglehold of the controllers and bureaucrats would have choked any attempt at loosening the red tape that had become notorious for its indifference to any attempt at devolving power. So, this story ended well.

Next, what if we had redrawn the map of India and made it mandatory that no state would have more than twice the land size of the smallest state in the country? The behemoths of UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and some southern states like Tamil Nadu would be carved up into smaller, more manageable units. The mismatch between the human development indexes of, let us say, Maharashtra, Gujarat or Karnataka on the one hand and the dismal condition of certain areas elsewhere (Bundelkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha’s tribal areas) may have been entirely different. A solid investment in health care, primary education and women’s rights in these dark areas would have protected them from the exploitative feudal practices that are still rampant. Nor would we see the rise of the bahubali culture that has now become an adjunct of our electoral process in under-developed areas. Those who are familiar with these dark regions will know why violence and terror thrive in the absence of good governance.

Let’s now turn beyond politics: what if Guru Dutt had not committed suicide and still been alive? Today, he would be like Dilip Kumar, an old, old man whom most fans have forgotten. Perhaps it is best to die young. The dewy beauty of a Madhubala has kept her alive in our imagination as the most beautiful woman Indian cinema ever saw. Compare her with say a Vyjayanthimala (who can still dance at whatever age she is now), but who can no longer move hearts the way Madhubala’s ‘Pyar kiya toh darna kya’ does. Don’t you agree?

The game also allows us speculation of decisions that are politically taboo, such as reservation. If Mandal had not been championed, perhaps our political landscape would be different. Merit alone would have decided position and our Parliament would have faces that are not there because they represent a class or caste, but because they wish to serve the best interests of everyone in this country. The counter-movement of the mandir rath yatra may never have had the traction it acquired subsequently, leading to a virtual chasm between the majority and minority communities.

I hesitate to go any further although my mind is teeming with possibilities of other alternatives. Try some yourself to pass the time.