New York to Bihar – Conflations and Differentiations

What commonality could possibly beset the bustling metropolis of New York and the ancient land of Bihar? Both are gateways to democracies – one to the “world’s oldest continuous democracy” and the other to the “world’s largest democracy”.

Frank Sinatra immortalised the city with his song “New York, New York” celebrating its incorrigible energy, resilience, diversity and as the beacon of the proverbial “American Dream”. Befittingly, it is home to the copper-clad lady’s Statue of Liberty (officially titled “Liberty enlightening the world”) symbolizing freedom, hope and democracy.

In the relatively newly discovered part of the world, it is a rare monument that harks back to antiquity, inspired by the Roman Goddess of Liberty i.e., Libertas. It stood tall and defiant even as the Twin Towers across the Harbour Bay of the World Trade Center came down on 9/11. As the birthplace of the American Democratic Movement with grassroot activism entailing civil rights, feminism, minority rights, labour unions etc., it is the proving ground of American Democracy.

That same infectious spirit of resilience, wisdom and character echoes in the Indian State of Bihar. From the ancient center of learning i.e., Nalanda, the Mauryan Empire to the Freedom Struggle (e.g., Champaran Satyagraha), the land where Buddha found enlightenment and Chanakya his treatise on statecraft, has had deep-rooted influence and auguries for Indian democracy.

It too has been the crucible for grassroot democratic movements of socialism, caste-based assertions, communism etc., which always acted as the bellwether for national politics. As the conscience-keeper of the “Idea of India” i.e., Mahatma Gandhi eloquently said, “It was Champaran that introduced me to India”. It is therefore a civilisational land that has shaped India’s past, present and future!

Both New York City and Bihar can claim to be the gateways that have shaped the national governance and defined the future course of the two proud, but clearly ailing democracies.

Therefore the popular maxim is interchangeable in that whosoever wins Bihar (or New York), wins India (or the United States)! Today, both New York City and Bihar are in the midst of electoral hustings, the former to the Mayoral stakes and the latter to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha or the State Legislative Assembly.

Sadly, this is where the allegorical comparisons of democratic hope and the quality of future political discourse (democracy), start differing. If New York is buzzing with a clash of well thought out ideas, healthy intra-and-inter party democracy, and competing plans for tomorrow….Bihar is still reinvoking and hurting the past of castes, religions and other age-old societal ‘divides’, with the additional chimera of freebies that are knowingly bereft of honest implementation. One is forward looking, while the other is still backward looking.

As the American philosopher and educator, John Dewey presciently said about democracy, “Democracy must begin at home, and its hope is the organisation” – the relative health of American democracy can be gauged by the vividness of its internal democracy. The most talked about political battle seems to be between Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo - ironically both are from the same ideological persuasion and political party i.e., Democrats!

While populism is still at the heart of New York politics, there is a careful debate and nuanced discussion on the plans that also address issues like policing, housing, public transit, and social equity. In Bihar, caution and rationale is thrown to the winds as both the ruling coalition and the opposition coalition attempts to ‘out-buy’ votes without any concrete or plausible plans.

In amongst the largest pre-election (perfectly timed?) welfare disbursement of what is slammed as “unearned money” in history, the already-stressed State exchequer pushed Rs 10,000 to an estimated 1.25 crore individual accounts (an estimated 12,500 crores), flagged off by no less than the highest executive office of the Prime Minister himself. This was bandied as the game-changer and perhaps more honestly (if fashionably so) as the “masterstroke”!

While rigorous fact-checks and “do-ability” of the competing electoral promises/plans of candidates by economists and academicians is put to task in the New York stakes –possibly the biggest agenda of employment is sought to be addressed by economically absurd and outdated ideas like more freebies, reservations, allowances, government job promises, higher pensions, loan waivers, increased quotas, unemployment allowances etc., none of what can be credibly backed by clear budgetary plans.

While both New York and Bihar elections in their own ways are deeply about “identity politics”, there is a stark difference in the attempts to co-opt the proverbial “other” in New York, and not so, in Bihar. Firstly, the thought that a 34-year old minority faith candidate (Muslim immigrant of Indian ethnicity) can be a real possibility for the Mayor of New York, still says something about democracy in the United States of America, Donald Trump notwithstanding.

Is such a phenomenon even possible in the Indian context of democracy anymore, let alone in Bihar? While fearmongering is the norm of the political class, be it in the US or in India – it is fascinating to note that Zohran Mamdani is openly differentiating between the State of Israel (as currently represented by hardliners like Benjamin Netanyahu) and therefore reaching out to the American Jewish communities as an equal. Unlike Indian politics where people of a particular faith can axiomatically (dangerously and regrettably) be instinctively equated to a neighbouring enemy country, in Mamdani’s political spiel, American Jews are not Israelis!

While New York is also presented as a societal tinderbox (like Bihar in India) as the host to the largest population of Jews and Muslims in America, a fascinating glimmer of hope in the power of reason in democracy is emerging.

Incredously, Zohran Mamdani is making substantial inroads into the Jewish ghettos, even though his concern and position on Palestine remains steadfast. Unbeknownst to many in India given the simplistic and binary understanding of Israel and Jews, there is a thriving community of practicing Jews under banners like Jewish Voice for Peace Action, who do not support Netanyahu’s handling of Palestine and therefore have little reason to fear a Mamdani position.

Pew Research Centre estimates 7 out of 10 Jews in America to be aligning with Democrats and not to Trump’s Republican agenda. Many American Jews make common cause with Mamdani’s line of dignity for all people. Fox News survey showed 42% of Jewish voters favouring Cuomo, with a still sizeable backing Mamdani at 38%, and only 13% backing Donald Trump’s Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa.

Are such numbers (especially for a “other”) and campaigns even possible in the Indian context. In Bihar even the so-called reformist alternative of Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) is more or less matching the usual suspects with doles, rote rhetoric, and castiest calculus. Bihar is hardly emerging as the desperately needed model of societal inclusivity and outreach, progressive socio-economic ideas or mature debate.

Whatever be the outcome of New York or Bihar, if the belief is that they are the windows into the future of the respective countries and their democracies – the portents are worrisome for the land that was once hailed as one where ‘the greatest achievements of the human mind.’ took place (past tense!).

Lt General Bhopinder Singh (Retd) is former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.