CONGRESS PARTY - Where search for Dynamism ends!

They call it India.  Some allude to it as the epitome of the world.  Still others modernize the huge landscape to project it in terms of the largest democracy in the world.  But sad, nowhere is it referred to even for a cursory reference to satisfy curiousity by readers and historians as the one whole piece of land owned exclusively by the Dravidian race that was shorne of its original claimants.  That arid wasteland with marshy stretches of dense forests, jungles, shrubs and creepers with huge stretches of high rise mountains in the North with yellow sandy beaches washed out by roaring waves and southerly winds in the South is today what the world know as the independent India.  

Nowhere is it a reminder of that peaceful Dravidian settlement which first set foot on the huge landscape.  They gave it no name – quite fair enough - but toiled for centuries clearing remnants of inhospitable terrains and converting them in to areas of crisp sunshine and cultivable land making it worthy of a God-fearing people called the Dravidian race.  The Dravidians never staked claim to a monopoly of the huge landscape but the communal hooligans today, who have not spared the land from being vandalized, are already dreaming to own and deeming it their exclusive right to issue decree or threats as though they have a right to deprive the very claimants of their possession.  

If barbarity, grabbing spree and eating out of others’ hands was at its peak when the nation was yet to be conceived, one might hardly expect a different trait at the hands of its people who only need an excuse to project opposition.  The present day opposition, more or less, fall under the category of a menace who cannot but hanker for power and dominance.  It is this very distorting culture that even a democratically elected government under Congress Party is facing in the form of a menace having to grapple with an inherent menace called Opposition.

Everyone wants to be a good citizen.  Everyone has a longing to progress in life.   And every citizen wants that he be respected by all.  Likewise, everyone cherishes a desire to have a company of like minded people around.  But when like minded people do come together their strong and weak points emerge. 

Do India as a nation and the people as citizens find any trace of resemblance to the age of barbarity vis-à-vis the predicament that the just over 1.3 billion people today are facing in the form of a communal force whose look out is to weave a security cordon around their majority people?  One may safely rule out a denial mode in this particular aspect because as a nation we sang different tunes while we kept reiterating that we are a diverse nation with diverse culture, diverse people and much of the diversities that moulded us in to an independent India and yet we made our projections supreme over that of others.  As a result, today we have not only national parties with different ideologies and perceptions but regional outfits as well which seek to hammer out their own forceful say.  But do we take a relook at the entire episode of the oneness of India flipflopping in areas and on issues which ought to have been a common objective, ideal or a pre-set goal?

When the need was to achieve freedom we put our hands together and with determination ousted the British. Once independence was achieved, we sought to project our separation.  Incidentally, our inclination was not intended to liberate the land, but to achieve a cosy and comfortable life as displayed by the British when they ruled the nation.  Once we received possession of the land, we decided that we act like the British and have our subordinates around to woo our bid. 

For millions of years human beings experienced severe hardship borne out of human pestilence whereby the poor, the weak, the less fortunate, the stressed, the ailing, the less influential and the less assertive beings were compelled to endure persecution and forced slavery at the hands of shrewd elements and arrogant men.  It was an age which witnessed haphazard people and rogue elements expanding sway over other people and areas with intent to enforce subjugation or for annexation of territories.

After several centuries of endurance, the commons started feeling the need to work out a solution that could transform the attitude and perception of knave elements vis-à-vis other human beings.  The period witnessed hushed whispers going round and abounding vocabularies like restoration of people’s privilege, right, equality, freedom etc. being freely used.  And finally a solution did prop up to the delight of both the influential as much as the downtrodden. 

Theoretically the whole exercise entailed transforming a world that had been reeling under spell of stress, barbarity and wars for several centuries.  By no stretch of imagination could one ever have even dreamt of a world adopting the new system.  It was like churning out a path to people who lived by force and subjugation which precisely amounted to overhauling a haphazard system and a chaotic world.

Moreover, enforcing a new look with attributes that called for virtuous living on an already pestilent world had to be a gradual process.  Any attempt to introduce such reforms on a global scale was fraught with consequences of a backlash by evil elements.  But the world succeeded to a large extent and the solution became a reality.

The solution appeared sound and conducive to modern day world.  However, there was a need to ensure that the virtuous attributes namely honesty and dignified living reached the ordinary people for which the need was to establish an authority that could ensure distribution of benefits to people in equal measure.  Thus came about a government and the system so adopted by the government came to be termed in the modern day world as democracy.

Democracy was a hasty solution to achieve a feel of sophistication in people’s attitude, perception and overall behavior, all of which had become blunt owing to centuries of barbarity. Once established, democracy became the cornerstone of governments and institutions.  It gradually grew versatile and people adopted the same concept under one or the other outlook.  India followed the Parliamentary form of democracy where the government elected by people took oath under a Constitution which ensured equality of status and of opportunity assuring the dignity of individual and unity-cum-integrity of the nation.  In this context Indian Democracy assumed for itself a government having a majority among the elected representatives of people whereas the elected minority assumed the role of Opposition.

India more or less followed the concept of Parliamentary form of government in letter and in spirit and democracy became vibrant under many of its dedicated rulers like Smt. Indira Gandhi during the 1980’s.  The benevolent charisma of Smt. Indira Gandhi is being emulated by people in position even today.

However, with the passing of time Indian mindset started receding to the age of barbarity.  Resultantly, the very body of elected representatives constituted to act as Opposition with duty earmarked to strengthen the government, democracy and nation in its day to day adherence, gradually changed course.  Opposition started antagonizing the very people who ruled the nation. 

In effect the very dignity and unity of the nation was compromised.  Parliament was made to appear like an arena for bouts with fistcuffs and pandemonium spilling over to streets.  Opposition became more or less a pack of hooligans standing up literally to oppose each and every step put forward by the government because the look out of the opposition was power, which would only come to them if they forced the existing one out.

Government and Opposition are no two sides of the same coin.  Rather, they are two coins of the same side both of which as one nation pledge to work for the advancement of people in furtherance of a Constitution which India as a nation adopted on the 26th of January, 1950.

Dignity, discipline, decorum of House and Parliament cannot be compromised at the behest of an opposition seeking to gatecrash in to a progressive mind and aspects of a forward looking Parliament and nation.  The nation, constitution and institution of democracy are supreme in every aspect and therefore no person or body of persons have the authority to lambast a government which ought not ever be tolerated merely in the name of opposition because whereas the former is a whole the latter is only a part of the whole.  Government is the beginning and government must be the end to every solution. 

Government is elected to carry on day to day administration of the country in the optimum manner befitting nation and its 1.3 bn. people. 

Likewise, the Opposition is entrusted with a high profile responsibility where it acts as the lever and tuner for the government.  However, Opposition is nowhere a bulldozer positioned at the center of Parliament so that all plans and activities the government engages in may be damaged by the very people elected to positions by people in the hope of seeing them fulfill a constructive role within Parliament and fora.  It is put specifically that the Opposition is no body of elected individuals assigned with destructive role to weave hurdles on a government, to arrest the hands of the government from contributing in a big way to the progress of the nation or to scuttle the policies and execution so given shape to by the government or from executing their assigned duty namely the welfare of citizens.

Opposition is not within the government enclosure to exert pressure on government, rather their obligation is to express their view and back out if they fail to convince the government on issues which are exclusively government’s prerogative.

As such, the nation expects the Opposition of a country to conduct them-selves with dignity, in an aura of solemnity befitting the chair allocated to them within the precincts of government enclosure or Parliament.

Opposition is not expected to imitate or to act in league with street urchins.   Oposition ought not to equate the chair allocated to them for purposes of antagonizing, confronting, competing with or demeaning the government.  They are specifically assigned a duty to assist the government in a manner of focusing the demerits of going forward on certain vital issues that might concern the general good of the people and nation.  Opposition must with dignity profess themselves as capable dignitaries having the capacity to convince government in a human manner but not as extremists.  But nowhere can an opposition member appear an opposition in an act of opposing the very good being done.  Opposition must act responsible or resign and quit responsibility in Parliament.

Opposition is not assigned a specific duty to gate crash in to sanctum sanctorum of Indian Parliament or ethos and culture guiding the dignity of the nation.  If Opposition cannot act responsible, they must quit Parliament and not make the House an example of hooligans acting rowdy on the road.

The primary duty of the Opposition is to put forward their view with dignity and then step aside for the government to consider their submissions or decide at will.  The Opposition members have not been provided with respectable seats in Parliament for them to ignite a war.  The nation and 1.3 billion people look up to them to contribute to the progress of the nation in a large way.

They must realize that the reigns of the government are in the hands of UPA alliance and the responsibility of the Opposition is primarily to assist the government in steering the nation out of crisis or to position the affairs of the nation on a progressive path.  But nowhere is the Opposition occupying the high profile hall of Parliament for creating impediments or hurdles in the way of measures adopted by the government especially when it is a question of setting a progressive goal for the nation.  If a particular group or party manages to secure a reasonable majority capable of forming the government, the Opposition needs to respect that verdict and fall in line with a conduct that is becoming of the position they have been deputed to.  As such, the Opposition’s getting elected to Parliament or Assembly as the case may be is altogether a call to adopt certain degree of professionalism, a show of elegance both in their attitude and conduct and thereby act with dignity befitting that position.  The Opposition needs to realize that once elected by people they must exhibit an air of authority not peevishness. 

Opposition needs to practice restraint on all occasions.  All issues that the government comes up with needs to be deliberated upon by the opposition with a progressive and long-term projection in mind and such topics must be accepted by Opposition as the path chalked out for the nation by a government vested with power and authority to lead the people as deemed appropriate by people and Constitution.  

If curbing a menace called opposition from playing foul with the nation’s advancement or foiling the opposition’s attempt at creating macabre scenes on the floor of the house in Parliament, thereafter having to face a vile opposition agitating on streets with deliberate intent to stall all activities undertaken by government at giving the nation or its progress a direction and further having to rectify the menace of the same pestilent opposition ranting to make media hype of what never was an issue of the magnitude they want to make out of the molehill, then there can be no other excuse for the slow pace of growth, progress and development in a country which has tremendous potential to achieve a glorious leap forward.  

Opposition must be taught to follow its course and stay within limits.  Public and Opposition must project a difference, else democracy would tantamount to a show of pestilence – that which happens on the road is slowly getting repeated in Parliament to the detriment of people and nation.  Law needs to act at the behest of the government and if normal procedure of discipline and decorum in Parliament are vitiated by Opposition then the court must stand up.

Opposition needs to wake up.  They need to be admonished that democracy is a somber mechanism evolved for purposes of eliminating barbarity and callousness.   Democracy did not bloom to present day level under tantrums or peevishness of people and parties making a political forum like parliament an arena for demonstrating clout.  There is a limit to tolerating mean culture by people who might lack oratory or input needed to present a particular view or promoting an individual assessment without hurting the feeling of others.  But the manner in which the present day opposition tends to equate discussion which amounts to bullying the government in to submission does not augur well for the so called democracy.  The nation did not make giant strides to the extent of keeping abreast of an advanced world of the present day era through hired mechanism.  Rather it was a gradual process achieved through dedicated activities of eminent personalities and people in government offices besides the people to people relation that government fostered or maintained which enabled a situation conducive to people and programs viable to the system.  No wonder then that the nation has come a long way from the NDA era of ‘fake shine’ to a reality nation called “India – of the people, by the people and for the people” for which Congress Party has every right to claim credit.  All praise to the UPA government.  We wish the government and the entire Party a thumps up for many decades! Cheers.

A peep in to Indian history which dwells on the bygone years post independence era would reveal glimpses of how Congress Party fared far better on the whole from the days of independence right up to the last and world’s largest democratic election for the 15^th Lok Sabha held between 16^th April and 13^th May, 2009.   Save for the 1977 loss by the Indian National Congress, the overall attitude by people towards Congress Party fared pretty well in all elections till 1977.   There is no denying the fact that Indian mindset is more comical or whimsical in its approach in respect of people who deserve deepest regard and comical with regard to complex issues which call for minute analyse.  Added to this is the public temper which is hardly consistent what to speak of having any equilibrium. 

Obviously, even as our study progresses digging through past history we are likely to come across instances of Indian mindset fluctuating vis-à-vis public mood zigzagging back to the one only national entity namely the Congress Party.  A deep attachment within people towards Congress Party especially towards Gandhi family with special reference to Smt. Indira Gandhi, whom they hold in great esteem, is quite evident in the overall political outlook. 

So indeed it would have been heart warming to realize how immediately after the assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi on 31^st October, 1984 the entire nation lept to their feet to hand over a most convincing victory to her son Shri Rajiv Gandhi in the elections held during December 1984.  The result too was astonishing and indeed convincing which went on to add up a total of 414 seats out of the 533 seats in Parliament.  This was one instance of manifestation by the Indian people that although they might have individual grievances against the emergency declared by Smt. Gandhi, on the whole the Gandhi family and Congress Party were held close to people’s hearts.  This was indeed a most welcome feature on the attitude of people which had in fact turned sour by communal and disgruntled elements whose names are not being projected as they are now no more.

As such, one might come by the loss the Indian National Congress suffered during 1977.  It was on account of the emergency imposed by Smt. Indira Gandhi which did not cut ice with the Indian public.  Incidentally, the readers will be aware of the overall situation prevailing during and prior to the emergency.  However, a brief narrative on the general conditions prevailing then which forced the hand of Smt. Indira Gandhi to impose emergency (26.06.1975-21.03.1977) is being dwelt at length in the following paragraphs.

Congress Party has always endeavoured to assimilate a steadfast approach to tackling public menace without a shred of complaint.  Indeed, invariably India has had to face the ugly head of monstrous elements giving sleepless nights to people in positions and government at the centre.  One such occasion surfaced during the 1970’s which prompted Smt. Indira Gandhi to promulgate emergency during the period 26.06.1975 to 21.03.1977. 

Although emergency was preceded by a state of anarchy wrought by powerful people with clout extending to communal and political parties, what Delhi witnessed during the last couple of years was incomparable to the worthlessness of demonstration and chaos unnecessarily dealt out on the Delhi streets by the very same communalists giving a democratically functioning UPA-II government the agony of bypassing day to day responsibilities to be engaged in safeguarding the capital, the nation and its people. The government was well aware of the nefarious designs of extremist elements which was fraught with horrendous consequences had the government not been extra cautious in dispersing the anarchists through displomacy and shrewdness. 

Before dwelling on the menace let loose by a highly outdated and ill-educated person namely Kisan Baburao Hazare who thought it expedient to embark on a voyage to the Indian capital for capitalizing on the gossip mobilized by the Indian mob themselves on the issue of corruption, it would be worth taking a dig at the root cause of anarchy and chaos let loose on the Delhi streets by none other than this very idler pretending to be a modern day Gandhi. 

Donning a white cap and a linen to shroud around does not in any manner make one a Gandhian.  Hazare to his own dismay and to the delight of a propitious following whose only look out was to boost communalism, found it expedient to enact a mahatma for attaining a fame and status which Gandhi alone earned by dint of God Almighty’s predilection.  With hardly any education to his credit to qualify for a moral background or a true perception of what 21^st century is all about, Hazare went demonstrating a democratic drama under the issue of corruption.  Today the same Hazare is brooding over his own folly of having invited the wrath of people and of the government which if deemed appropriate could otherwise have initiated positive, better and conducive steps to counter or eliminate such or similar evil from the society.  Today as Hazare sits counting his days and pining away in to a hitherto unwritten end, he might surely reflect on the harm  his crusade did to the land by wasting four long precious years for which an active and vibrant government was definitely in place with fully equipped mechanism, better informed people and accurately assembled law enforcing machinery. 

Congress Party and the UPA allies have clearly exposed the worthlessness of Kisan Baburao Hazare for his wretched attempts at blaring and blurting allegations with insane recklessness and using communalism as hood to achieve a mean fame which he never achieved.  This was the primary success of a government which exposed the limits of ordinary people from jumping law and discipline.

Congress Party and the UPA allies conclusively revealed the empty boasts and hollow allegations unscrupulously made by Hazare upon dignified people and government functionaries without rhyme, rhythm or reason whereby the nation and people were unnecessarily dragged in to unwanted controversies. 

Congress Party and the UPA allies achieved a commendable success in shrewdly exposing the lack of cohesion among the crusaders which was predominantly intended to catapult individual supremacy over the dignity and self-esteem of nation and people intended to project themselves as spotless and clean.

Hazare in the end got isolated by his own group with his confidant having deserted him leaving him in the lurch – a direct reference to Arvind Kejriwal having been exposed at playing foul with a similar desire only to attain hollow ambitions of achieving undeserved fame -  and the whole game got fizzled out to a fiasco.  Hazare might belatedly have realized that rather than a hooded fight he undertook against corruption, he could as well have taken the government in to confidence and enabled it to set in to motion the state machinery to tackle such a highprofile menace.  Incidentally, he failed to read in to the chemistry of achieving fame without having to undertake an unwanted expedition to the land of death for which he might least have the yearning for.  To cut a long story short, menace by individuals like Hazare and Kejriwal under the hood of communalists and disgruntled parties have disabled the smooth functioning of a democratic government for which there is need to rewrite a Constitution which would have inputs needed to tackle – not corruption – but the root problem within the basics of democracy viz. public menace.

The long years of democratic functioning gave more than a cause for the public to wreak havoc on the system and people.  Incidentally, the hands of the government are more or less barred by the Constitution and similarly the options too at their disposal are sort of limited.  In order to wriggle out of such finite situations, the government feels compelled to adopt draconian measures.   One such occasion happened to be the emergency imposed during the rule of Smt. Indira Gandhi (26.06.1975-21.03.1977).   70’s was a dark period in the history of the nation. People were disillusioned with the ongoing strikes, hartals, arson, loot, destruction of government buildings, property etc. 

In short the very apparatus and the democratic machinery founded so strong through years of struggle were beseeched by ravenous public to the extent of making even the government a mere spectator.  This apart, the disgruntled people and elements including party workers and functionaries started adapting themselves to nefarious activities in their move to hoodwink government and public institutions.  Ordinary people got accustomed to carrying locally made revolvers and knives to meet out vengeance or to loot people at their own pleasure.  The shop owners deserted righteous methods and honest means to earn livelihood and in its stead started charging hefty amounts for day to day necessities or services as the case may be. 

Over and above, a disillusioned people rather than heeding the voice of sanity and call by the government to maintain peace and harmony started taking law in to their hands.  The government under Smt. Indira Gandhi had to curb the people’s menace and resultant anarchy on account of unlawful activities like public on their own resorting to destructive tendencies for demanding democratic fulfillment, enhancement of salary and such or similar demands .  INC stood upright in the face of it all.

In the thick of confusion that prevailed upon the nation and government, the real issues got faded and became so to speak irredeemable to be dealt with.  What dominated the scene was an air of opposition backing all that could send the nation in to chaos.

 

                                 

The nation emerged strong in the face of backlash by its own adversaries but to manage the miscreants working against the good of the nation and welfare of people had to be tackled by a government which had less of the medium but more of the people’s wrath to be faced, who were not at all prepared to heed call to maintain peace.  The most stumbling block of adversary was the opposition and a select group of communal elements in the form of RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Ram Sena and you name it, there was no dearth of them. 

The then leaders bore with the brunt of public menace.  Even great stalwarts of political forum having roots right up to the freedom struggle stood to oppose the government and dignified leaders. Indian National Congress could not be browbeaten by people with hardly a sense of national upkeep.  It was the staunchest of efforts put in by Congress Party of now as well as then that managed to outlive chaos and barbarity. Does one need more to eulogise the one sublime symbol of architecture nursed by the Indian National Congress?  The hand symbol namely Congress Party managed handsomely to extricate the nation and people out of chaos and anarchy but all measures put in to motion to sooth the tempers of mobs and people failed to pacify the crowd in to adhering to a voice of sanity.

Every channel of appeasing the public was tried out.  The government did everything in its power to bestow confidence in the government and the leadership.  But a mad and rampaging public could never be expected to stand to reason.  The world was yet to come abreast of many of the sophisticated medium required to educate the then public. Students’ unrest apart there was largescale arson, looting and criminality. And the only solution to bring people around was to impose strictures on a mob-oriented public.   Sporadic violence erupted and in order to bring the situation under control of government and the country the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution of India.  While the opposition termed it as a black hour, the truth was otherwise.  It was in effect the usage of a provision which existed within the very Constitution and that too by a government which was seized of the public horror engulfing the peace of the nation.

Emergency imposed on the nation by Smt. Indira Gandhi heralded the emergeance of a nation out of the shadows of militancy (sponsored by the then opposition), Jayaprakash Narayan, George Fernandez included besides many other disgruntled elements.  Militancy by these elements working against the force of the nation and welfare of people gave teeth to communalization of society, young and old. It even sawed the seed of hatred among the majority community against minorities consisting of Christianity, Muslims etc.  Militancy allowed cessation of harmony and operation blue star came about which was much needed to nip in the bud the Sikh frustration to saw the seed of disintegration. In the thick of confusion the real issues got faded and became so to speak irredeemable to be dealt with.  What dominated the scene was an air of opposition backing all that could send the nation to chaos. I repeat – “Emergency imposed on the nation by Smt. Indira Gandhi from 26.06.1975 to 21.03.1977 heralded the emergeance of a nation out of the shadows of militancy and disgruntled elements”.

Emergency fuelled disintegration by Sikhs due to discontentment with desire to sesede from the mainland of India.  Some unscrupulous elements propagated division and what came about was Sikh frustration to demand a Khalistan.

Thus followed frustration by Sikhs and Operation Blue Star endangered the Sikh patriotism. The action by a determined government to bring about peace and tranquility was misread by the Sikh community.  They the Sikhs attributed the government endeavour to pacify the Sikhs to high handedness. 

Tempers soared and S. Bhindranwale took up cudgels to blemish the acts of the government.  A new rivalry rose to bleed the nation namely the call by Bhindranwale for a separate ‘Khalistan’ and the nation standing to defend the country from being bartered.  In essence it all turned out to be a rivalry between Sikhs and Hindus and news headlines flashed instances of brutality by one side or the other.  There was no respite to the entire drama of vengeance by Sikhs baying for Hindu blood. 

There was to come about an end to everything.  And the end befell the charismatic Prime Minister who headed the nation under the title of Prime Minister.   Smt. Indira Gandhi the third Prime Minister of an Independent India was assassinated at 9.20 AM on 31^st October, 1984 at her Safdarjung Road, New Delhi residence by her own Sikh security guards.  The security people entrusted with the life and security of the Prime Minister dealt out the deepest blow to democratic pestilence by people. 

Death of Smt. Indira Gandhi took the nation by surprise whereby an enraged mob disregarding the call of conscience sought justice from the innocent Sikhs who never had a hand in the episode.  India for once experienced a spate of butcher of citizens by fellow citizens in revenge for the killing of the Prime Minister of the nation. 

When all is said and done, what could humor the only national entity namely the Congress Party is that some elements among the communalists even manage to link the 1984 riots against the Sikh community as an instance of communalism.  However, facts prove otherwise.

Was the Parliament attack in any way connected with communalism?  For convenience sake we term it extremism, but in real sense it was vengeance for the many atrocities committed by Hindu communalists in Gujarat and elsewhere.  And was the judgment against the conspirators and the execution of Afzal Guru a reversed act of communalism by the Judiciary during the Congress rule?  The communalists would probably give the nod there!  As a matter of fact even Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh were also sent to the gallows for their involvement in the assassination of Smt. Indira Gandhi by the Judiciary during Congress rule.  Incidentally, these are instances of law taking its own course. 

But the Sikh riots were fuelled on account of patriotism rather than passion for or against religious views.  Communalism is a slam on the religious culture which rejects the one followed by the other or the majority.  And when a majority asserts a persecution on religious attachment, it spontaneously invites reaction, which ignites in to a conflagration which we term communal riots.  But when the very security guards entrusted with duty to protect the Prime Minister of the nation jeopardise the life, dignity and profile of the state head, then the nation rises in revolt.  However, in this particular instance the party spirit prevented a biased opposition to follow suit, so that the true patriotic people within the Congress Party alone stood to defend the nation.  Here is revealed the true patriotism exhibited by a people whom we call Congress Party.

The public might heap lies in the name of insult over dignified people for what they might never have done.  But democracy as a populist measure in system is much prone to vibrations which cannot be gauged by reason because its key lever is held by public themselves. 

Shri Jagdish Tytler, Shri H.K.L.Bhagat, Shri Sajjan Kumar etc etc. were accused of inciting the mob against the Sikhs.  It was a past which even these honourble Congressmen never wanted to reminisce.  No Congressman with patriotic sentiments could ever think in terms of killing another much less a Sikh who were part and parcel of the Indian humanity forum.

If killing was their look out then why did they not keep killing after the 1984 riot ended?  If they were in any manner biased against Sikhs, then why have they been attending the Parliament or court proceedings as the case may be?   Never, it was never aimed at killing, rather they were incensed by patriotic sentiments which left their one only leader namely Smt. Indira Gandhi snatched by unscrupulous security guards.  Unfortunately, the security guards happened to be Sikhs.  Patriotism was at its best and my salute to those stalwarts and the mob for exhibiting true sentiments for the leader and towards the nation.  In the same manner, the nation feels sad that patriotic fury had allowed many innocent Sikh lives extinguished for no fault of theirs. 

CONGRESS PARTY

Every human being carries with him an identity.  This identity reveals the inner image, the thought process, the purpose, link, definition and soul of a person’s character or the specifics of one’s personality.  When this identity is established for the greater good of a people or a nation, it would invariably possess a nomenclature namely the Congress Party.  For a nation like India, Congress Party is not only a name, rather it is an identity which reveals the progressive traits of this vast nation which emerged straight out of alien hands namely the British Empire.  The Congress Party had to be nurtured to its budding stage through constant efforts by people with selflessness and conviction. 

Purity of intention and devotion to duty – duty towards nation and people – has been the forte of Congress Party which was formed primarily to give a people their right, budded under the auspices of people with spirit of sacrifice, bloomed under people of Gandhi’s integrity, perfumed under secular credentials of spirited women like Smt. Indira Gandhi, guided to Portal No. 1 of 21^st century by the crowning glories of her own son Shri Rajiv Gandhi and which nation today stands personified under the name and style of Smt. Sonia Gandhi but having the baton of victory held aloft today by Shri Rahul Gandhi with the explicit intent of safeguarding the rights and credentials of 1.3 billion people of a secular India.  If the communalists can divine the message within the above lines and context they can stand to be counted as part of India, otherwise it will be thorn and thistles for the sort of communalism they want to adhere to and guellettine of wrath could cut in to their arrogance or self-centerdness to pieces.  These lines are a direct warning to communalists lest they find their dreary culture of communal agenda slip off their petty minded aspirations.

Indian National Congress or Congress Party is the one only witness to the tepidity the people of India manifest towards achieving a unified India, at clinching our common goals and at projecting the ethos for which the nation endeavoured to become independent.  We are an India today for the world around but within us there is no India that the world believes us to be.  We are divided on matters of common interest.  We are at loggerheads when it comes to forsaking our mean differences.  And we shun the very characteristic which qualifies the bind viz. communal harmony which ought to be the prerogative of every citizen, every religion and every institution that has sprung up in the name of the land and its people.

Congress government too at one stage in the company of its allies occupied the benches of the Opposition when the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government was in power.  But never did Congress Party exhibit any such arrogance or craze for power as are the BJP and communalists today seized of.

Today, while Congress Party continues to forge ahead with the same vigour and determination under the guidance of Smt. Sonia Gandhi assisted by Shri Rahul Gandhi and scores of eminent Congressmen and women who have dedicated their selfless service for the service of the country, the nation would definitely like to take a look back at the immense strides made in every field viz. domestic, economic and foreign fronts.

How does India of the present day era fare when compared to the turbulent years immediately preceding or following independence?  Does the independent nation of today provide any trace of resemblance to the bygone years when practically 90% of its population had been living below poverty line, struggling to earn one square meal a day?  Can one imagine the enormous progress made by the nation from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and likewise from Gujarat to Mizoram which practically erased the predicament the people were in for so many years say some 65 to 70 years earlier when the country was yet to be liberated from the British rule? 

Given the fact that communalism is as much of a world phenomenon, yet the aggressive manner in which Indian populace consisting of Hindus and Muslims react to it may be worth taking note of.  Incidentally, it is this one compelling feature which has left the two neighbors namely India and Pakistan maintaining a vengeful distance from each other. It needs to be reiterated that immediately after the struggle of independence, there was a semblance of peace and oneness among the two neighbors but soon things turned sour and barbarity of old returned to haunt the two soon thereafter. 

Besides the many compelling reasons which give fillip to a notion prompting projection of Congress Party as the only choice for ruling India, there is an electrically conclusive reason to prop up Congress Party as the one party possessing the right profile, attitude, dedication, honor and dignity to assume the responsibility of ruling the country on account of its implied and spontaneously earned publicity from Indian mob themselves.  And what, may I ask, is that conspicuous fame?

Electrically speaking Congress may be adjudged as the best option for a country like India where no people or party has earned profuse admiration on account of their unique achievements.  So much so people and parties who are yet to earn even remote recognition, are vying with one another and queuing up to have a similar shot at the high in which Congress Party is presently doing unruffled despite the tantrums of the opposition and intermittent menace from unruly crowds headed by the Hazare-Ramdev-Kejriwal gangs. How come?

Whenever the opposition gets hold of a name from the ruling elite eligible enough for their smear campaign, the name is automatically passed on to the real rulers of the country namely the mob and soon whispers go around on the enormous corruption that that particular name could have committed.  The public then sit behind closed doors to roughly estimate the quantum of money that could have been siphoned off to foreign banks by that unknown name while a band of imaginary income-tax officials get set to pounce on the name.  In effect, nothing material happens and the imagination dies down and the mob gets back to their daily chores.  So corruption makes a symbolic appearance, lingers on in the mines of the public for a while and then disappears just as it had appeared.  The end result is the government namely Congress Party and UPA allies are left to take a heinous blame for a casual gossip let out by someone or the other for which there hardly appear a proof.

By coincidence the real damage starts a build up only after the name reaches the people’s forum or to be precise the mob forum whereat a judgement is pronounced by all and sundry which judgement gets carried on to the road that “the government is corrupt”. 

When such formalities by people on the road are being engaged in, if per chance someone from among public even by mistake whispered the name of Congress Party, straight would fall the hammer of order “Congress government is corrupt”.  Thereafter, a silent curtain falls over the entire issue and that is that.  Just amusement by a distraught public who merely need one or the other point of fact, either a cricket match to cheer about or a government to blame! After all democracy too is government ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’.  One would earnestly ask to set records straight as to whether the government is indeed corrupt or the rumour mongering mob and people corrupt?

Naturally so, Congress Party has every reason to thank the mob for making party famous to the amusement of a cricket loving public!

Come all – give the right boost to the one only disciplined party every survived for last over hundreds of years.  Congress Party alone has the pulse of the nation.  Congress Party alone has the best of its people.  Congress Party alone has the determination to resolve common man’s issues.  Congress Party alone can take the nation out of the mire of corruption and criminality.  Give Congress Party a scintillating victory at the Lok Sabha Elections 2014 and see the nation riding ahead of even the Super Power of Today’s world.  Watch it – Vote it – Live it all like a true Indian Citizen. 

Awake India!  Awake all.  Awake the young. Awake the old.  Rise up to a new age.  Awake with a ray of hope.  Congress Party, the trusted ones of the dignified days of freedom struggle, the elite of Mahatma Gandhi’s chosen guild, the chosen ones of the independent India which stood undeterred to steer the nation clear of hurdles under a charismatic Smt. Indira Gandhi followed by a dignified Shri Rajiv Gandhi and which India made giant strides to this very day under the spectacular guidance of Smt. Sonia Gandhi is beckoning you to assert yourselves forthright.  It was Congress Party all the way from the British era right up to this very day that stood to listen to your voice, to answer your call to rejoice at your deliverance from foreign rule, your call in peril, your call in distress and your call to act which it did to your heart’s content.  Congress Party is the one only voice of sanity and choice of a new age that can best be defined as the independent India.

There are areas within the Constitution which need a re-look.  That can be undertaken only if the party has the requisite majority to deal with dissent.  India has arrived at the portal of a new age, a new era and a new century which must get translated in to action and the action need percolate in to a new life.  A life that should portray a new India of advanced vision. 

You all strengthened the hands of Smt. Indira Gandhi, Shri Rajiv Gandhi and yea – that of Smt. Sonia Gandhi.  You deserved your choice and Congress Party stood the ground to deal out your due, your justice and your vision.  Today the same nation and party is calling upon the teeming millions of an independent India.  Rise up ye people,  Rise with one voice and stay and stand firm with the one only hand that has always been extended to your needy hour – stand with your party at this hour of need to hoist the tricolor with pride now and for all times to come!