The cult: The Adamant and the Naysayers

PTI supporters come in two versions. The first worship a cult, they know they are worshipping a cult and they admit they are following a cult. The second one follow a cult, through their confusion and blindspots you know that they know they are following a cult but they will not admit that they are following a cult. The first one is only good for entertainment. May be they are prone to become Bhakts, the followers of Modi who distribute certificate of patriotism and then implement it but let’s not be bleak at the moment. Over the few days they would first deny any existence of rigging but ultimately will say as one of them put it, “if army has done rigging, we are thankful to army for giving us Imran Khan as the PM!) The second one will present superficially-sophisticated arguments for their unflinching support and never criticizing the cult leader.

But they also will agree to your criticism of Imran Khan’s support for extremism and his apologizing of terrorism but then will tow the similar line of ‘giving him a chance.’ They will argue from the base of ‘choosing the lesser evil,’ but will not tire of the harangue of the change, the hope, the revolution, the only best thing happening. They will justify every ‘evil’ thing (which for others is evil) but for IK is the only option and as he is fighting the evil, co-opting the evil and forgiving some of the evil is justified. Their minds stop working that how can the lesser evil transform into a force which will do away with all the evil. In simpler words, they will support the lesser evil from the position of nauseating self-righteousness.

Both the versions have my sympathy, especially the later one. Or the ones who are not using the language of Imran Khan (irony it is, but we live in interesting times!) Just a few years ago they were apolitical and loathed any kind of politics. Because of lack of grounding and reading in any kind of ideological politics and because of suddenly being thrusted into the political arena they have developed an unenvious sense of looking at things in binary. Their whole exposure to the history and to politics is Pakistan Studies or the few books working as footnotes of Pakistan Studies textbooks.

They are not naïve. But they are deliberately taught amnesia. Everything is a first for them. Remove a prime minister and it is a first, forgetting that it happened a few years ago too. Deprived of memory and thus of imagining an alternative future, their politics is reduced to tweaking around in the current system and corruption becomes the rallying slogan. But as I said they come from the position of self-righteousness so the corruption of others and the evil of others become a priority to wipe out. The ones with them are working for good and thus digressions can be forgiven!

Till now, PTI supporters clung to the birthright argument for IK to be the PM. “If not IK then who?”” It is his right after he had done this many things.” “He is such a heartthrob and he can speak good English.” That is settled for now. He got his birthright but the problem is his cult will justify any wrong done and will invoke the birthright argument again.