The black face of Capitalist democracy

From Rahimia Magazine (April, 2012)

A few days ago Senate and by elections for lower houses of parliament were held in the country. Representatives of senate and parliament were elected who would rule the country in the coming days.

During these elections many repulsive incidents were reported which lay bare the true character of capitalist democracy.

To obtain the membership of senate of the country, candidates traded millions. According to some news agencies, senate elections have become a full-scale business in Pakistan. According to these agencies, “a textile mill needs investment of up to RS 500 million while a senate seat costs a candidate RS 650 million.” Allegedly an MPA was offered RS 50 million for his vote. According to another account, “in the ‘Senate’s Stock Exchange’ record business was reported—millions were spent on buying votes. From parliament house to parliament lodges millions of rupees were traded in cars with tinted windows”. According to a federal’s minister’s confession a single vote was cast for a price of up to 2 to 2.25 million. These reports and confessions comment on the depths to which morality of our “elected representatives” has sunk and also on the legal integrity of the respective house they inhabit. Any Parliament that operates in a capitalist society always features these problems.

On the day of by polls, feudals and capitalists presented a reckless show of power. Candidates from the families of traitors and descendants of colonizers were seen tyrannizing the staff of polling stations. These individuals with capitalist mindset have installed themselves in the parliament despite their sheer incompetence. They neither have the recognition of people’s problems nor do they have the fear of the Almighty.

The winners of by polls have succeeded in getting only 12% votes of their constituencies. So a very small number of people have selected them in their own territories. If this is democracy then what is the tyranny of a minority? In Libya of Qazafi no candidate was allowed to become a member of the central congress without taking majority of the total votes of his constituency. And despite this our media called it “a dictatorship” while here in Pakistan, individuals who get a very small percentage of votes make a “democracy.” This democracy based on capitalism and feudalism is so hideous that it calls a lie, truth; deception and treason, patriotism; war for capital and money, economic justice; and hegemony of institutions which act in favor of capitalism, democracy.

It is undeniable that there is no democracy in our country, rather in the name of democracy, capitalism and imperialism of the affluent is established. Islam is also distorted to suit exploitative agenda. Collective benefit is disregarded and self-suiting doctrine of “democracy” is promoted. In reality they do not have any relationship with Islam or democracy.

Some of our so called scholars also present their elaborate yet fictitious arguments for or against compatibility of Islam with democracy. The reality is that in countries under imperialistic yoke, the idea of democracy is simply a trick and the slogan of Islam is raised only to cheat. Islam is for sale here and so is democracy. Political parties of the country are also operating like hostages in the hands of these feudal lords and capitalist leaders. Calling them a “political party” is an insult to the word ‘politics’ itself. Role of a political party here is very clear: these parties have been created to fulfill the interests of imperialism. These parties were born and developed in the laps of imperialistic powers. But the parties doing politics in the name of Islam are no more different. Playing drama of democracy, most of these “Islamic” parties are also moving on similar lines.

Today, in this critical situation, parties using the name of “Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Hind” to do politics should consider the fact that he formed his party to combat imperialistic designs in the region. They should question whether their parties using his name are also struggling to achieve similar objectives? Or whether they are using only his name but operating within the system to promote capitalist agenda?

Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Hind Maulana Mehmood Hassan is the name of a strong national revolutionary movement against British Imperialism. His was basically a forceful movement against capital-centered system. This movement had nothing to do with any institution having imperialistic affiliations. It is indeed a crime to use the name of this movement for acts that benefit the entrenched capitalism in our society today. Committing this dishonesty may lead to severe repercussions. If somebody wants to work on the mission of Shaikh-ul-Hind, then he must first declare a denunciation of the anti-human capitalism. And on the basis of nonviolence, national democratic and revolutionary struggle should be promoted for the people of the country.

A national democratic movement based on Shaikh-ul-Hind’s vision will remain the solution to our collective problems