Writer and the altruistic politician
In her recent remarks, noted Indian writer Arundhati Roy stated, "I pity a nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice." Her statement is in particular challenging the recent outcry of some politicians who demand that she must be brought to justice for sedition.
What Arundhati Roy voiced is that 'freedom' is possibly the only source of emancipation for the ordinary citizens of Kashmir. Moreover, I acknowledge that this is not only her sentiment but of millions who have compassion for the tortured people of Kashmir. Nevertheless, the intention of the passage is not to contribute to the debate on whether 'independence' of Kashmir is a solution or not, but rather to shed light on the phenomenon that writers repeatedly feel frustrated with politicians. They feel that politicians fail to see the bigger picture, and are often satisfied with what economists call 'the second best solution'.
Such was definitely the case between Tagore and Gandhiji. For example, Tagore criticized the overemphasis of nationalism in colonial India, and argued for a greater focus on internationalism. Yet, Gandhi contradicted by pointing out that one must reach internationalism through ones dedication to nationalism.
My purpose here is not to argue whether Tagore was right or Gandhiji was wrong, but state a trivial fact that nationalism is probably the most fundamental force that drives an altruistic politician. It is a force that makes him crisscross a nation to identify solutions through which the masses can rise above poverty. It is an ideal for which a politician is willing to sacrifice his own existence. It is an idea that he can't stop romancing.
Hence, to a politician who loves his nation and derives his identity from its existence - 'Azadi' of a particular state is never the solution. It is also not the solution because altruistic politicians, who fight vested interest of various quarters in every policy meeting, knows that the 'second best solution' is possibly the only pragmatic solution that is worth voicing given that the world is not completely full of Arundhati Roys.
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