The royal families of India still rule the political arenas of the country. They are MLAs, MPs and Ministers. And for this, they do not need to be political or social expert, but prominent enough in keeping up their royal profile. This is substantiated from the Himachal Pradesh experience where no royal member ever loses election.
By Alexander Dhissa
Mammoth corruption charges by state agencies including Income Tax Department, hostile media show, a cemented position of BJP and a strong base provided by Sangh. This all happened to deceit Congress, that was largely into broken fragments, to hover even nearby a ‘win’ in the last assembly election of Himachal Pradesh. What result that really followed post election was a matter of great surprise for those who are not aware of the ‘royal’ politics or the ‘politics’ of the royals in the country.
The victory of Virbhadra Singh, the old raja of Bushehr in Shimla district, inflicted a shocker over all. The people of the state paved the way for their raja. After 65 years since our constitutional setup, it is astonishing that these raj gharanas have significance in today India. Their power ranges from social to political spheres.
A collective analysis of the political career of MPs and MLAs with a royal lineage suggests that they are highly successful in winning elections even though at a young age. Political experience, educational background and socially involvement is no bar as long as the candidate belongs to a royal family. Though the similar situation persists in several parts of the country but extremely deep rooted in Himachal Pradesh.
Virbhadra once himself accepted the extra political benefit of belonging to a royal family during 2012 elections. "Of course it has an impact. You have a good reputation, people trust you, people have their faith on you and they bestow their blessings and so no one can challenge you,” he asserted during the election campaign.” He had corruption charges against him and was forced to leave MSME ministry. As steel minister he met with similar fate.
Singh was succeeded to the position of king at an age of 13 in just at the time of Independence. He entered politics and hence became the youngest member of Third Lok Sabha in 1962. Article 363A in the Constitution clearly explains that the powers and titles of the rulers of the native states have already been discontinued along with the privy purses.
Virbhadra is not the sole royal winner in Himachal Pradesh. Maheshwar Singh is considered as the regent of Raghunath (Lord Ram) and enjoys an unchallenged royal status among the people of Kullu. He is considered trustee of the weeklong world famous International Kullu Dussehra festival which starts and ends only in his presence. He doesn’t travel in ‘laal batti’ or white SUV rather enjoys his kingship in the Palanquinon festival days.
Maheshwar Singh inflicted a staggering defeat by an immense margin on his main opponent from his constituency even after he left Bhartiya Janta Party.
Communist Party of India state secretariat member Desh Raj says, “People are still living in the feudal past; they doesn’t seem doing away with the kingship system. King is treated to the level of god’s incarnation.” He says that Himachal is a developed state and it stands third as far as 2011 Human Development Index (HDI) is concerned. “The literacy rate is much higher than the nation average. And even then people continue to rally behind the royal families,” Desh Raj informs. The political success rate of a candidate with royal background is almost hundred per cent.
Sher Singh Funfundra, grass root BJP worker, asserts, “Himachal has a distinction of being the least corrupt state in India and choose a Chief Minister with high corruption charges. This is demoralizing.”
Others in the fray
Four times Member of Parliament and now a member of the state legislature Maheshwar Singh of Himachal Lokhit Party belongs to the erstwhile princely
state of Mandi. Chandresh Kumari union minister of culture is also a member of royal family of Jodhpur and married to the royals in Himachal. Earlier, she has been a three-time legislator and two-times MP elected from Himachal.
Pratibha Singh daughter of a royal family and wife of Virbhadra Singh was the member of 14th Loksabha and also MLA from the state.
Asha Kumari from the Chamba royal family, Vijay Jyoti Sen of Keonthal royal family, Anirudh Singh from the erstwhile Koti and Karan Singh, brother of Maheshwar Singh are all running a successful career in state or national politics.
This is nothing but really a depressing fact that anybody with a royal connection goes on to win election without any toil for the reason that every second person living in a democracy on the planet happens to be an Indian.
Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand are few states which have Royal families of ancient time ruling the states by all means. In a time when world is claiming to be globalised, getting tech savvy, societies are fighting for their democratic rights, people swallowing up the power of science, it is difficult to figure out how these families are reaping politico-religious benefits.
Interview:-
‘Royals also have democratic rights’
Maheswar Singh, who belongs to the royal family of Kullu, speaks to Alexander Dhissa on the political issues in the state. Drug trafficking and unemployment are also a part of his talk.
Excerpts:
Q- How do you see that Virbhadra Singh with corruption charges against him won the election and became the CM?
A – You see, so far the charges against Virbhadra Singh have been a concern with the court. It’s court jurisdictions and in some of those charges, he has been let off.
Q-Do you believe that it is quite easier for a person belonging to a royal family to get into politics?
A- What I feel is neither it is qualification nor it is a disqualification to become a public representative. We have got the democratic right to contest election, whether a person is from poor family or royal family.
Q- Do you think people have emotional dealings with your family and that’s the reason you don’t lose elections?
A-When compared with the other candidates, people are under the impression that families with good background are honest. They see us as clean and good caretakers of them in the future.
Q- You have secure only one seat in the last elections, do you regret the decision to ally with Left Front in election?
A-I don’t regret, although we have won only one seat but we have succeeded in our mission. That was to remove the corrupt people from power. You must appreciate that on many seats BJP candidates lost because of our clean image-candidates. Their mission of repeat (Chief Minister) was converted into mission of defeat.
Q- Does your party look to fight the 2014 Lok Sabha elections too?
A- Definitely.
Q-What is your initiative to curb the problem of use of drugs among Kullu youth as the district has earned a bad name in marijuana production?
A-Some alternative has to be found out as people are unemployed. These are mainly village people who indulge in these practices. Problem is that only suppliers are caught and buyers get away easily. We have to crush the entire market chain.
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