Patna: It really is surprising that Bihar, coining intelligent political slogans since 1952, is going to polls this time without limericks that formed integral part of the state’s body politic.
If people think Netas or politicians lack poetic knack, they should know the political slogans that reverberated in poll-time Bihar for the last 68-years.
Invention of novel poll-time slogans in Bihar with acrimony towards the rivals or rhythmic eulogy for political leaders reverberating in the state during earlier polls breaks the myth that politicians are not humorous.
With the announcement of Legislative Assembly poll for 2020 by the Election Commission, the campaigning has begun in Lord Buddha’s chosen land Bihar.
But absence of catchy slogans really gives us a feeling that the limericks and poll-time political slogans have attained their Nirvana this time in this state.
In a mark departure from the tradition when sloganeering would begin at least two months before the polls to shatter your mental peace into pieces, this time the public address systems and mikes are silent.
If a line is drawn from Bihar’s first Legislative Assembly polls of 1952 till the last one of 2015, we find humorous poll-slogans formed integral part of electioneering. This time, it is totally absent.
The political parties are not gunning limericks against each other making us doubt if Bihar has lost sharpness of brains of politicians or have lost their sense of humor.
This question can best be analysed in the light of earlier slogans.
Before we highlight them, let us begin our poll-time poetic journey with Laloo Prasad Yadav, famous for puns, funs, guns firing salvoes towards the Saffron Bloc and what not?
This very famous Laloovian limerick runs: Jab Tak Rahega, Samose mein Aloo, Tab tak Rahega, Bihar mein Laloo
Translating roughly into the Queen’s Language English, it means: Till Aloo, the potato, remains in savoury Samosa, Laloo too will stay in power in Bihar.
Very intelligent, indeed! Can you, honestly speaking, imagine a Samosa without Aloo? Possibly not! This remained the most important slogan of RJD for over 20-years.
In fact, the political limericks attained a new dimension with Laloo becoming chief minister in 1990. It became highly intelligent with his signature slogan “MY”-Equation (Muslim-Yadava equation for polls).
One of Laloo-propaganda was unique and counter-reply of BJP too supremely intelligent. It pertained to dilapidated state of roads of the state with people, while motoring on them, often doubting if they would reach home in one piece or would be dumped back home as a bundle of broken ribs.
Laloo promised to turn those ugly roads as beautiful as the face of Hema Malini, the film actress of Bollywood.
This quote-unquote of Laloo and reply of BJP’s Pramod Mahajan became a permanent fixture in India’s political circles.
To outsmart Laloo, Mahajan quipped after the polls were over: “Laloo Ji failed in his promise. Instead of the roads turning as beautiful as beautiful as the face of Hema Malini, it continues to remain as pock-marked as the face of Om Puri…..”
Another BJP-limerick against Laloo too is a poetic-marvel:Murgi chore, chara chore; Jaldi jaldi gaddi chhor
(Thief, you stole fodder of animals, now vacate the chair of the chief minister).
This rhyme chimed as Laloo was involved in Rs. 950 crore Fodder Scam for which had had to resign as Chief Minister and also now in jail in Ranchi.
This time, we are not hearing any intelligent poll-limericks though in 1973, a couplet became all-time favourite of Biharis. It ran like: Haath mein botal, mooh mein paan; Yeh hai Ghafoor Mian ki pehchan
After translation, it runs like: Ghafoor Mian, then Bihar’s Chief Minister and a prominent Congressman, can be identified by two signs: one, carrying a bottle of toddy and second, chewing Paan (betel leaf).
Incidentally, Abdul Ghafoor, the limerick’s Ghafoor Mian, made no secret of his fondness for toddy (intoxicating palm tree extraction) and Paan (betel leaf).
Interestingly, it was in the Cow Belt or Hindi heartland where India’s first political slogan originated way back in 1772 against the Governor General Warren Hastings. This slogan was extensively used in the Mutiny of 1857.
It was: Haathi par howda, aur ghore par jin;Jaldi bhago, jaldi bhago; Barren Hastin (Warren Hastings)
To know the slogan-power, let us trek-back to 1909 when Bal Gangadhar Tilak coined the iconic slogan Swaraj and the Congress inventing the term Purna Swaraj in 1927 that practically acted as a psychological tool across India to motivate the masses.
Remember Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s iconic slogan Chalo Dilli (move towards Delhi meaning ousting the British Government) or Tum Mujhe Khun Do, Main Tumhe Azadi Dunga (give me blood, I will give you freedom)?
We just cannot forget Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan slogan of Lal Bahadur Shastri.
The BJP this time is not able to create good slogans like it had done earlier: Kushal Neta, Nirnayak Sarkaar (Able leader, decisive government) or India Shining and Factor of Feel Good.
Slogan-power can be gauged from the fact that though 54 years have gone-bye, the term Goongi Gudiya (dumb doll) denoting Indira Gandhi of 1966 when she could not deliver Bhashan or lecture, still remains a political dictum.
Absence of sloganeering creates the doubt that a vacuum might have been created in the innovativeness of politicians and party think tanks. It also indicates decline in Indian democracy.
There, however, was a time when such slogans like Aadhi roti Khayenge, Indira ji ko wapas layenge (we may eat half a piece of bread but shall bring Indira Gandhi back as Prime Minister) of Congress that immensely influenced the electorate.
To counter this, there was Indira Hatao desh bachao (oust Indira to save India) of Jayaprakash Narayan during the anti-Indira movement of 1974.
The BJP’s Atal Behari bol raha hai, Indira shashan dol raha hai (Atal Behari Vajpayee speaks, Indira Gandhi shakes) also was very powerful.
Limericks like Wah re Congress tera khel, sasti daaru, mahanga tel (see what Congress is doing, wine becoming cheap, edible oil becoming dear) of BJP to protest the reduction of on the price of liquor acted a powerful political tool.
Before the formation of BJP, Janashangha, its earlier Avatar, also was very limerick-savvy. Just read this: Jansangha ko vote do; Beedi pina chhor do; Beedi mein tambakhu hai; Congress-wallah chore hai
(Folks, don’t smoke Beedi, It contains tobacco, a toxin; Don’t vote Congress, It is a pack of thieves-Support Jansangha)
During the Chikkamagaluru polls in which Indira Gandhi fought, an iconic slogan for which Devkanta Baruah and Dev Raj Urs must be congratulated was: “Ek sherni-sau languor-Chikmaglur, Chikmaglur”
(One lioness, 100 monkeys….. Chikmaglur, Chikmaglur)
By 100 monkeys, Congress meant the opposition parties.
The forthcoming poll is virtually going without slogans but it was Bihar from where, once, the term Sampoorna Kranti (total revolution) orinated.
Thanks to Jaiprakash Narayan, the Loknayak.
