There is no disputing the dominance of powerful families wielding nepotistic influence throughout India, regardless of the sector. But does this imply that we have made peace with nepotism? Most certainly not. However, much relies on how the discussion is framed and the nature of the nepotism issue’s contingent politics.
Preference is based on favouritism shown to families in various professions, such as business, politics, entertainment, sports, religion, and other activities. The term “nepotism” is derived from the Italian word “nepotismo,” which is derived from the Latin root Nepos, which means “nephew.” Since the Middle Ages and until the late seventeenth century, several Catholic popes and priests who had made vows of celibacy and so had no faithful posterity of their own handed their nephew’s such seats of preference as were customarily given by fathers to the kid.
- Advertisement -
Forget about other professions; nepotism in Indian politics is unparalleled in the world. The newest dataset reviewed by India Spend includes biographical information of all 4,807 legislators since India’s first parliament in 1952. The heirs of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty have consistently risen to power in the Congress Party, which has been in power for the most prolonged period since India’s independence. Political dynasties, on the other hand, are common across all major political parties. According to surveys, as many as 130 members elected in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections have some political ancestry.
Since the 1980s, Indian politics has become dynastic, presumably due to the lack of a party organisation, autonomous civil society organisations that organise support for the party, and centralised election finance. This tendency may be witnessed from the national level down to the district level. The Nehru–Gandhi family, which produced three Indian prime ministers, is one example of dynastic politics. Family members have also headed the Congress party since Indira Gandhi launched the then-Congress(I) section of the party in 1978.
Nepotism is defined as “the demonstration of using force or influence to get out of line preferences for members of one’s family.” You may wonder why nepotism still exists today. We live in a time when everyone wants to criticise progressive legacy, but no one wants to confront such a prominent display of strength. On a broader scale, this is the general public’s perception of the stars of nepotism. We commonly believe that because certain people know the “who’s and how’s” of a particular profession, they are inherently more qualified for a position in that field than the others. While in some instances, we disregard the fact that a job in the pecking order does not ensure knowledge or skill.
- Advertisement -
Even though India is a democratic country, nepotism has played a significant role in Indian politics. From Motilal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi (Congress Party), India has been controlled by a family fighting to keep its standard. Apart from this party, which is, of course, at the top of the list when it comes to nepotism in Indian politics, there are several other, mostly regional, parties, such as the Samajwadi Party (governed and formed by Mulayam Yadav and later taken over by his son Akhilesh Yadav), that have been working on nepotistic principles. From Balasaheb Thackeray through Uddhav Thackeray, the Thackerays have dominated Maharashtra. In Kashmir, the Abdullas and Muftis have been in power for an extended period. In India, there aren’t many, yet they’re notable cases of nepotism.
The first component contributing to such political nepotism, particularly in India, is its population. Some may agree absolutely, while others may not; yet, the people of India are used to being told what to do. They are used to progressive norms in the past and magnificence in present modern times. It is a direct outcome of the ‘Varna System’ theory, which expresses that line the kid of a priest becomes. Despite all this, this wins since the majority of the Indian public is still uninformed, and so, this comes out to be the finest and most effortless technique to choose their ruler.
