The Congress refuses to learn lessons from its past experiences of intolerance towards dissent, the judiciary and even the people of the country who are opposed to its politics. Now, it is determined to sabotage the Modi Government’s functioning in Parliament
The manner in which the Congress conducted itself during the Winter Session of Parliament will shame any concerned citizen who has no political or ideological compulsion to put blinkers on his thought-process. The manner in which Members of Parliament storm into the well of Parliament and shout and show scant respect to the presiding officer, will surprise any international audience and put to shame all the citizens of India who are informed, concerned and keen to contribute to the progress and development of the country.
After a couple of decades of coalition Governments, India now has a real chance to march ahead; it has a stable majority Government in the saddle, its economy is on the upsurge and youth power is being treated as a great asset. The current times are being projected as the as the period of ‘golden demographic dividend’ in ageing societies. To avail of this advantage, India now needs to focus unequivocally on its development agenda, in improving its education systems in quality and content. The nation must also remember that it is its ordinary and ignored who can do extraordinary things, once given the right environment and due motivation, in preparing high-quality skilled manpower that can bring laurels to the nation, establish its credentials abroad and let India regain its due position of respect and honour amongst the comity of nations.
It is globally acknowledged that practically every country is facing crisis in delineating its ‘ideology’ of progress and development. Borrowed ideologies and mere copying models from other countries have played havoc with several nations. India has had its post-independence experiences. It brought about major policy reforms in 1990-91, and now is the time to have a fresh look and prepare a new line of approach from a position of strength, which was not the case 25 years ago.
All this requires totality of national effort to mobilise its human and natural resources, develop a pragmatic and dynamic ideology of progress suited to India and its aspirations. Towards that, the Opposition is expected, rather is under obligation of the democratic values, to let the Government function. Instead, the main opposition party in Parliament is behaving in a most undemocratic fashion, without applying its brains which are submerged in the cesspool of sycophancy. The way some of the MPs regularly shout and disturb Parliament greatly disturbs people everywhere. One wonders how those who indulge in such abhorrent behaviour can be considered true representatives of the people. Many of them are said to doing so under instructions, though feeling ashamed and lost.
The normal expectations from a mature democratic opposition party were that of graceful acceptance of the people’s verdict which went overwhelmingly in favour of Mr Narendra Modi. The world acknowledged it. The US Government had refused to grant a visa to him, then Gujarat’s Chief Minister, courtesy the campaigns of calumny by the pampered secularists, generously funded by foreign funding agencies through awards, scholarships and grants to the NGOs. But it immediately acknowledged the people’s verdict and the US President went out of the way to befriend the new Prime Minister of India. Unfortunately, the most ungracious emerged from the main opposition party in India, which, even after having forsaken all of its past values and principles, continues to lay claim to the Gandhian legacy.
The oldest political party of India claims to have led the country to independence. It suffers from an ownership syndrome and does not like any other political party or organisation to even shower accolades on luminaries like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BR Ambedkar, lal Bahadur Shastri etc. It frowns upon those who claim any proximity to Mahatma Gandhi or his principles. The Mahatma, a great visionary who understood India more deeply than anyone else around him, wanted the Congress to wind up after the completion of the national mission to achieve independence. He could anticipate what would happen to values and principles once Congressmen get attuned to power, perks and authority. But Congressmen had refused to heed the sane advice of the Mahatma to quit politics and plunge into social action.
It is a fact that for over five decades, the Congress has pampered a certain set of intellectuals who claim proprietary hegemony in every area that normally comes under the domain of intellectual and creative domain of human endeavour. It came to public attention recently when the campaign of award wapsi was launched with considerable fanfare and, with clear intentions, to malign the Prime Minister of India. This group had issued statements even before the general election, clearly telling people not to elect Mr Modi as they did not like him! Their illusory world crumbled when Mr Modi was accepted by the nation and its people, cutting across party lines. Is it not surprising that not a single award has been returned after the Bihar election result was outIJ The frustration has crossed all limits of even decency and decorum. Mr Mani Shankar Aiyyar of the Congress, who wanted Mr Modi to request to him to get space for a tea stall after the general election, went to Pakistan and requested them to remove Mr Modi from the position he occupies at present.
The manner the summons in the National Herald case has been converted into ‘vendetta politics’ by the Congress, surpassed all levels of value erosion in the party. It was not a case filed by the Government or any of its agencies. It was an individual effort by Mr Subramanian Swamy. The least that was expected of the Congress was a statement that it respected the judiciary and would respond appropriately. How shallow its strategic planning is, was again revealed to one and all when, after disturbing Parliament for over a week, it retracted and said its protest had nothing to do with the National Herald case!
No nation can ignore its children and the young. When children suffer malnutrition, millions are suffering the hazards of child labour, when farmers are committing suicides, the poor and the lower middle class are put to hard times even for pulses and onions, when drought relief becomes a farce in States like Uttar Pradesh, can a country really say that it is a mature democracyIJ A mature democracy requires a mature Opposition that respects the people’s verdict and shows respect for the judiciary. The Congress has a poor record on both; it imposed Emergency when the judiciary unseated its Prime Minister. It pounced upon the judiciary by appointing Justice AN Ray, bypassing the seniority of three eminent judges. What followed was disastrous for the party.
Apparently, it has forgotten all of its lessons. Its present approach is undemocratic and childish, and is another indication of its miserable dependence on dynasty. One wishes the Congress had at least one leader with Gandhian values who could remind it of the following words of the Mahatma’s following words:
“I will give you a Talisman. Whenever you are in doubt or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test: Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by itIJ Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destinyIJ In other words, will it lead to swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starving millionsIJ Then you will find your doubts and your self melting away.”
These words has the strength to restore the dignity of people’s representatives and Parliament. Any takersIJ