By Justice Markandey Katju–
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge, Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of, Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own)
The overwhelming victory of the British politician George Galloway in the Rochdale bye-election marks a significant turn in the political spectrum of many so-called ‘democratic’ countries. It is hence of historical importance.
Many of these ‘democratic’ countries in the world like the United States, the United Kingdom, etc, while ostensibly forming governments by popular consent, in fact had rigid two party systems in which two mainstream parties dominated, and third-party or independent candidates had little or no chance of success.
These two parties had a semblance of a difference. The Labour Party in the UK and the Democratic Party in the US seemingly tilt a bit to the Left, while the Conservative Party in the UK and the Republican Party in the US favor the ‘Right’ ideology.
The reality, however, was that, both sides represent big corporations. The huge amount of money required in elections ensured that. Thus, democracy was only a charade, and the people irrelevant. Whether one voted for Conservative or Labour in the UK, or for Republican or Democratic in the US, one was voting for big business.
Galloway’s stunning victory in Rochdale marks a victory for the people over the two big parties, shattering the two-party system, and thus a restoration of true democracy, which, as President Lincoln said, represents government by the people, of the people, and for the people.
Up until recently, Galloway was considered a maverick and irrelevant, and one who espoused causes of the suffering Palestinian people, and castigated the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
His condemnation of Israel brought on him the ire of the Zionists, though Galloway maintained that he is not anti-Semitic, only anti-Zionist.
He has always supported the poor people, and demanded justice for them. To a question by a journalist whether he condemns attacks on British troops in Afghanistan, he said he does not, and he explained that British (and US) troops were occupiers, and hence the people of Afghanistan had a right to attack them, just as the British people had a right to fight any country which tries to occupy Britain.
One cannot imagine a member of the two mainstream parties in the UK giving such a candid statement. Galloway has condemned the double standards of Western countries, particularly towards Palestine. He said the British should not fight for King and country today. In his victory speech at Rochdale, he said, “Keir Starmer, (the leader of the Labour party) this is for Gaza,” alluding to the slaughter of people in Gaza by Israeli forces.
George Galloway has created the Workers’ Party, which intends to contest at least 100 seats in the next general elections in the UK. Despite lacking the financial resources the Conservative and Labour parties command, and despite much of the media — controlled by financial barons — which is hostile to him, Galloway has emerged as a people’s champion, a giant slayer, a David fighting the two Goliaths of British politics.
He will sooner or later be emulated in the US where people like Bernie Sanders could make little headway, and shatter the stranglehold of the two-party system, which has made the people irrelevant in the sham ‘democracy’ in many
countries.
Democracy will then really become what President Lincoln wanted it to be, government by, for, and of the people.
