What is the best way of ruling a mass despite plundering and oppressing for years relentlessly? The divide and rule doctrine. A political ploy that has been used from time immemorial by the rulers and greatly illustrated by Machiavelli or the colonisers of a little island called Britain that ruled millions of people throughout the world.

As people of the subcontinent, we are one of the worst victims of this tried and tested scheme and unfortunately even after two great liberations, which saw millions of people sacrificing their lives, we see the same trend hanging like a curse on the sky of our political landscape.

Be it creed, faith, nationality. historical grey spots and so forth, the canny rulers always want disunity among people by creating a fault line and keep people busy altercating or even rioting among themselves.

Awami League, the ruling party, is by far the most skillful proponent of this scheme. In the name of liberation war, they always wanted to keep a major division albeit a true nationalist party would always prefer integration and nation building after achieving the country through the sacrifice of its people.

The Pakistani rulers wanted to use religion for the same reason and ironically, Awami League did not miss the chance. The scar the Pakistani rulers created are utilised by Awami League by showcasing them as the only saviour against any minority, especially the religious minority. They tacitly and brazenly utilised cultural apparatus and intelligentsia as well as media to stump that belief on public imagination.

The party utilised every chance and even assured the Western powers that it is the only party against so-called Islamic terrorism and obviously showed absolute submission to India to garner support.

On the other hand, the opposition parties often look clueless and seem to dance with the tune set by the Awami League. Forget every other instance, just go through the current hullabaloo on social media about the transgender issue. In the name of protecting Islam, a large number of people could be instigated. It is another classic social faultline. If things go even more chaotic, Awami League will once again use this to show itself as the only force that can safeguard minorities and portray the majority of the country as barbarous people that do not deserve democracy. 

What a silly and old trap just after a fortnight of another farcical election. Already the economy is getting worse and the people are bearing the heavy toll of lack of democracy in every aspect. The potential faultline and division is the best scenario for the rulers as that will keep people fragmented and oblivious to their political rights and become united to regain those.

The opposition parties must not make the same mistake to dance with the tune set by Awami League and its propaganda machine. They must try to integrate people, remove these fault lines and make people focus on their political struggle.