CONGRESS PARTY - Poised for a landslide!

Congress Party is not merely a national unit consisting of people young and old from all walks of life.  It is an international emblem as well.  Strategically the world identifies Congress Party as the core of Indian culture.  Congress Party is an all encompassing identity professing secular values, religious tolerance, upliftment of downtrodden with a determined resolve to settling all disputes amicably and through peaceful means. 

Congress Party is viewed by outside world as the supreme force behind formation of governments year after year, term after term and era after era.  For the outside world Congress Party is an everlasting emblem portraying the shine of an unending chain of successes in the largest democracy in the world. 

Indeed Congress Party was, is and will be always remembered as the torch that will carry the flame of invincible power to set the world alight for India to be one day counted as a nation second to none.  The architect of such a stunning victory will be none other than the one and only Congress Party. 

And to beat the heat of election fever, Congress Party would have on its electoral rolls a line up of names from the first ever to be the last citizen to exist till the last and the billionth Indian ever to be born to proclaim himself not as “an Indian”, rather to affirm his party as “I am from Congress Party”.  And history will proclaim the day, year, generation and era as the Congress Party era.

So the next time you overhear someone providing a rejoinder in reply to query regarding his nationality, do not raise your eyebrow when the reply rings about your ears like “I am from Congress Party”.  Frankly, it would just be a matter of fact for Congress Party to be identified very much in terms of a nationality.

Congress Party has established roots in all four corners of India and its reputation extends to every nook and corner of the world.  Over six decades of rule by various governments failed to provide that stability to the nation.  But the last over six years of Congress rule did provide a glimpse of how a government under Congress Party could function unruffled despite hordes of communals and opposition ransacking peace and serenity of the nation.

Everyone is aware of what the outcome of it all was!  The end result as of today is that Congress Party could not be browbeaten by communals, hoodlums with even the opposition joining the bandwagon, merely on the strength of hearsay or vague notions of irregularities having occurred.  Public cannot be bought with soothing words of conciliatory gestures.  They need to be left alone by giving sufficient time to ponder over realities. 

Incidentally, with a zealous move by parties and people to cash in on the public mood even before the electoral program has been announced by the Election Commission, from an overall assessment the present state of affairs may be seen as an indication of a trend one might witness in the aftermath of 2014 elections. 

Although the UPA government’s second term did see a great deal of communal flare-ups under stray and disgruntled elements who, as usual, have been creating undue hue and cry on the issue of corruption, nonetheless, the party maintained a distinct show of determination to meet all such unsocial elements from carrying away the sanctity and reputation of the party and nation by allowing time for people, issues and interruptions abundant reflection to be sorted out with priority.  

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) witnessed two consecutive terms which hardly allowed them a breathing space.  The aspirations of the masses which rendered the government the needed mandate to govern the nation were belied, hopes dashed and expectations unfulfilled, all because of a swelling opposition gagging the very essence of a governing body.  What with all the street demonstrations coming from none other than Kisan Baburao Hazare on the one hand and his break-away ally Arvind Kejriwal giving street shows making the very government look like a laughing stock.  The Opposition too kept flaying the initiatives of the government leaving the very institution of Parliament in a state of melancholy. 

The tone and tenor of opposition in Parliament corroded the morale of government forcing dissent and disenchantment among its very allies.  The swing of democratic fortunes experienced tremendous set back.   Nowhere in history has India experienced such tantrums resorted to by the opposition installed in Parliament to the detriment of a government having to make do with a notched up alliance.  The concept of a constructive opposition was lost among the crowd and the government left fuming to feel its way to attempt a stage back through the ensuing elections. 

If the UPA-I was lost to the din and dilution of policies and related issues by the CPI (M) the UPA-II was an attempt to reduce governance and enforcing failures and pandemonium on a government in a manner that its achievements could well be projected at nil.  The long and short of it all was like a section of people in connivance with the opposition in Parliament  vainly attempting to reduce the power and mandate given by another section which group alone had the good of government in mind.   Such a scenario or state of affairs need to be arrested if the nation is to progress and hard decisions adhered to which would tell on the future of the nation.  Issues which deserve priority ought not be assailed through whims and fancies of opposition or regional parties, much less through uninterrupted street shows.  Unfortunately, the opposition namely BJP and various gangs of disgruntled elements in collusion with some regional trouble makers and sulking leadership made the present government halt many issues which called for priority.  The government was forced by evil forces and vested interests to retrace its steps on key issues.  These evil forces and regional hurdles need to be identified, swept aside or ignored and the nation returned to the hands of people who have the best of interest of people and nation in mind. 

As curtain fell over the fourth year of its second term, Congress Party frantically fumbled about the years and files of both the UPA term which have become a part of today’s Indian history. They needed a narrative to qualify the many achievements made during the last nearly six years.  How would a party find an achievement which the very people of India are witnesses of?  Much has been listed, much talked about and many more publicized for people to assess prior to preparing to vote.  Congress Party was convinced that it had vibrated its intent within the convinced minds of hitherto calm witnesses awaiting the nod of election commission. However, one singular message, one singular achievement and one singular success to its credit that the party made silence of not intending to divulge it or to assert leaving the people of India to divine on their own was that Congress Party was no party to the commotion made by the opposition, the regional parties, the corruption mongers and the communalists who deemed it appropriate to scare the government off the power center. 

Congress Party demonstrated with emphasis its will to achieve much more than what ostensibly the opposition namely BJP or the regional parties like BJP, TMC, SP, DMK etc. would have allowed them to do.  And this alone was the greatest achievement of a party that dared do much but for the vilification campaign let loose by the opposition, the tantrums resorted to by regional parties and the commotion indulged in by stray hoodlums mongering corruption which, in effect, never existed.

However, it has been the undaunted stand by party that remedy for all ills need to be addressed or attended to with caution and diligence.  As such, all attempts to browbeat the party and allies by the national opposition namely Bhartiya Janata Party in connivance with stray communal elements need to be struck down with élan, thereby such wanton attempts to disrupt the normal functioning of government by the opposition has totally failed to give any jolt to a government which is well entrenched at the helm of affairs of the nation.

In a way the achievement by Congress Party to have eliminated traces of communal flare-ups for last one decade might be seen as a singular victory which became possible through indirect connivance by communal elements and people, who managed to take over the government of respective states that have for long been nursing a criminal bend of mind, bent on conflagrating communal passion and hatred with a view to giving the nation a bad name.

It is also important to state that instances of bomb blasts which used to be a common feature during the tenure of BJP in the company NDA constituents at the centre has been reduced to practically nil. Thanks to the valiant Indian soldiers at the border posts who keep constant vigil and have been sacrificing their lives at the hands of criminals taking orders from unscrupulous and crime-bent men of extremist cult. 

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.

As such, even as the wait for Lok Sabha Elections due during 2014 reduces – people must decide to vote in unison, vote with one mind, vote determined and vote resolvedly to keep communalism away from the nation and people, lest the decade of achievements and results achieved by Congress Party and the UPA allies get all washed out by blood of innocent human beings, the likely victims of Bhartiya Janata Party and their adventurous communalists.  Let not the hard earned achievements of Congress Party therefore, get converted in to a deliberately inflicted scar and resultant sweat of horrors in the hands of communalism.

A government is primarily an authority consisting of the elected representatives of people entrusted with the responsibility of governing the country.  These elected representatives owe allegiance to a particular party or a group identified under a symbol and professing a set of agenda to be followed as a matter of policy. A party or alliance having a majority of elected representatives is normally invited by the President to form government at the center.  The elected representatives are inducted in to the government through a swearing in ceremony whereby they take a solemn oath in the name of God or the Constitution to discharge their responsibilities with honesty and diligence.

The government and the elected representatives consist of both men and women who work collectively with an astute sense of dedication and judiciousness.  Immediately after the formation of government the elected representatives take charge of their respective ministries allotted to them.  Thereafter, the Ministers with the assistance of of their secretaries, subordinates and assistants work out detailed strategy for undertaking various time-bound schemes and long-term projects for the progress of the nation and a peaceful life of the people.

The government and the elected representatives are bound by the oath pledged towards the nation and people at the very commencement of their term in office.  Accordingly, the government carries out their duties and responsibilities with utmost honesty and sincerity all through their term in office always bearing in mind the oath administered to them prior to commencement of office. However, at no time will a government or the elected representative go astray in their pledge to betray the people or the nation through vile, vicious or corrupt acts.  Moreover, if at any given time an instance of major or grave lapse come to their notice or if the government or a Minister conscientiously realize a serious error has occurred at their hands on account of a lapse on their part, they deem it their moral duty and obligation to step down by submitting the resignation to Speaker or the President as the case may be from the particular post or from government.

However, nowhere would it be becoming of an opposition or general public to demand the resignation of a particular Minister, Government or any individual because that individual, group or government is answerable to the extent of having transgressed, if any, a rule or law of the land.  But in a general sense by virtue of their being in power under an elected government they or the government is answerable only to the Prime Minister or the President.  This follows that the people or the opposition would be infringing on the right of an elected representative or a government in demanding someone’s resignation – because a resignation is purely personal and ought not under any circumstance be forced out or demanded of a person or government by coercible measures. However, under certain specific circumstances or for reason of grave violation of the norms or laws, there may be instance of a demand by people for a person or government to quit the post.  However, in order to adhere to such a procedure, the topic would require a specific debate.  Either way, the matter is always left to the conviction of people and the nation.

Currently, India is passing through a process of setting up an energized government after the term of the present government expires.  The present government was formed by Congress Party with the assistance of the United Progressive Alliance after they succeeded in securing a clear majority required to form government in the wake of the elections held during 2008.   The term of the present government is due to expire by 31^st May, 2014.  As such modalities for the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections are being worked out by the Election Commission, details of which are likely to be announced by the first half of next year.

As is always the case, when a particular party fails to get the required majority, an alliance with the like minded parties is formed.  Accordingly, during 2008 Congress Party had entered in to an alliance with some regional parties for forming the government.  Despite all efforts to keep the alliance intact, there has been a great deal of trouble for the Congress Party towards sustaining the alliance or the government.  However, Congress Party demonstrated with ease that the party relied on strategic planning for keeping the alliance together. 

The nation needs a government. It needs a government with numerical majority which would accord it the ability to govern its full term.  The look out is not for a government that would need to entreat the opposition time and again for reminding them to act diligent without deliberately opposing the part played by the government in its dutiful act of governing the nation.  India requires a determined leadership.  India must elect a government that would last its term, a government which can forge ahead on matters of national interest with determination and will.  Only then can the nation register an indelible mark of advancement both domestically as well as internationally.  There are teething troubles which call for meticulous management of people’s psych and a promising vote bank.  In this context, where exactly do we start with?

Congress Party possesses the necessary skill.  It has the necessary input, people of element, people of experience and people with vision.  However, Congress Party has not been registered in the votable minds of the over 1.3 billion people as the only capable people to lead India from the front, out of a mire of corruption and high-handedness, extremism and naxalism/maoism or petty mindedness and social manaces.

After the recent win by Karnataka, the prospects of Congress emerging victorious both at the Delhi Assembly elections as also the Lok Sabha elections has greatly improved.  Congress Party does not lack in any discipline.  However, what has come about  as a menace by public themselves during the early two to three years  has brought the progress and development of India a great deal behind.  Incidentally, the Congress Party or the Congress Government cannot in any way be blamed for the lack of thrust in passing of bills or bringing about that thrust towards an excellent growth rate of economy and people’s welfare.

The people need to realize that it is only the Congress Party which has the required input to bring about a shine both inside as well as outside India.  But the great question that would pose for people as of now is, do they the people realize the importance of the 2014 elections?

India needs to gain mileage in every aspect like the upliftment of down trodden, economically weaker sections, the working class, professionals, industrialists, young and old, education, health, medicine, science and technology and of course the diverse faiths all of which need to be catered to.  India has a vast populace accounting for nearly 1.3 billion spread out in over 28 states and 7 union territories.

Incidentally, and as stated supra, Congress Party is fully capable of taking care of such a vast nation having the potential to singly manage the overall affairs of the nation and people.  Out of the six national parties approved by the Election Commission viz. Congress, BJP, CPI, CPM, BSP, NCP there are only two prominent parties with recognized rating on an all India basis namely Congress Party and Bhartiya Janata Party.  However, looking at the scant appeal held by Bhartiya Janata Party at the national level the only party having a conspicuous hold over the entire nation happens to be Congress Party.

Patriotism is not everything which makes a nation progress.  It might be a culture that could boost the broadness of our application and mind.  But the core feature which must take the nation and its advancement to spheres of excellence is by augmenting that spirit of oneness, that steadfastness of resolve, that attitude to hard work and that devotedness towards our day to day agenda or program which can boost the prospects or our zeal to achieve maximum benefit out of our workable force.  This is one trait that people must adopt, otherwise we may all have to find the nation at standstill. 

Having a tricolour around cannot possibly bring about reform or development in a country teeming with millions of people with diverse mentality, faith and culture.  There is need to add impetus to the group, the community and people who form the core of our national strength.

Likewise there is a need to go by certain standards.  There is a need to accommodate a particular group of people or body of individuals with capability to vouch for the betterment of the nation through unstinted efforts and dedicated resolve.  In a democracy a group of people or forum as pointed out above may be termed as a party to whom people owe allegiance to for their own good, for their own welfare but above all the welfare of the nation.

Such a party or people who can be trusted to shoulder the burden of safeguarding the progress and advancement of the nation, and who can be entrusted with the task of looking after their welfare must have the trust of the nation and people.  The country therefore, must repose their trust in these people whose election is effected through a ballot system as demanded by the Constitution which was adopted on 26^th January, 1950.

Congress Party forms the core of Indian polity with widespread influence all over the country.  Congress Party, as a national party, is the offshoot of the original Indian National Congress.  It derived its core strength from the forefathers who fought against foreign rule, suffered deprivation, desolation, passivity, misery, brutality, torture and death. Having put in enormous struggle for achieving independence, after having endured severe hardship for centuries and having been forced to adopt a single minded approach to achieving freedom by hook or by crook out of a diverse people of Indian culture, the Indian National Congress finally  hoisted the national flag on 15^th August, 1947 in culmination of the celebrations of India having attained freed from foreign rule. 

India attained freedom exactly 66 years ago and there have been several changes of governments elected through ballot system from different political parties.  Most of these parties having been formed with alliance of regional parties, there have been varying perceptions of people resulting in inordinate delays in passing of legislation or due to toppling of governments for one reason or the other.  As a result of frequent change of governments or on account of lack of numbers in Parliament, the intricacies of management and administration has lacked in the required enthusiasm among people who constantly turn to regional outfits to achieve a victory in terms of power.

Frequent change of governments causing inept handling by people of diverse mentality has made matters worse for the entire political system which has indirectly dragged the national priorities to achieving a mere scrape through to form the government.  India cannot afford to gamble on priorities and the least that ought to materialize is a realization within people that they must compromise on either of the two aspects namely mediocrity or excellence!

There is need for individuals with conviction and righteousness to carry the aspirations of people to heights of excellence.  Without this connect, without a virtuous dedication, without individuals having noble blood within, crowned by dedication, determination, resoluteness and integrity of purpose no gain or breakthrough can be achieved, more especially in a people and era which, immediately after achieving independence, was sinking in to a state of chaos and grabbing mentality.

Fortunately, when all hopes of unifying an invigorated mob of free nation were being dashed in to a state of chaos and decay, India uniquely managed to find a family with noble blood, detached from corruption and more especially capable of monitoring the barbarity and menace of a people who would least have heeded reason and oneness of purpose. 

It was a God-sent gift to a land which had seen scores of battles and bloodshed.  Unfortunately, the evil managed to penetrate deep in to the veins of the common people.  The mean minded crowd vent their venom of frustration at the family (Nehru-Indira-Sonia-Rajiv) and their descendants with invectives which no person, society or nation would tolerate. The result was catastrophic.  And today, the tricolour has had to be managed by a hand which holds the destiny of the nation.

Congress Party alone has the formula to extricate the land out of perilous elements.  There is need to reform people, bring them on the right path and motivate people to lead an exemplary life so that the nation runs smooth not for a term of five years, rather for generations thereafter.  The nation cannot afford to tolerate mischievous and criminal elements manipulating the arena of Parliament and jeopardizing the future of the nation, people and its future.  Rather the country needs people of dedication over whom a dedicated government would function for the sake of their betterment.

True, India has never been free from wars, battles, chaos, turmoil or incidents causing enormous hardships to public, highhandedness, nefarious activities, match fixing, atrocities, brutalities & butcheries, catastrophes, natural calamities, besides murders, kidnap for ransom, hijack, criminal assault, loot, theft, burglary, extremism, cross-border terrorism, civil strife, communal riots, dowry deaths, rape of innocents, plunder by people, tax evasion, snatching and pickpockets, theft of vehicles, arson, labour unrest, hoarding of essential commodities, pilferage of items, marketing day to day items & essential commodities at exorbitant rates – and what have you? 

Nevertheless, India never forsook its development plans, activities and programs. The government did not ever throw up its hands fed up of the anarchy and chaos committed by its own people.  It did not blame the citizens and people who stood to benefit from the progress the nation was making through unstinted efforts of a government that was awake to people’s problems. Today the same nation is capable of hoisting Common Wealth Games, Asiad and like events which project the nation as a force to reckon with.

All the developments took place at the behest of a party nurtured to its existence by people of eminence, dignified people who had a dream to see India on top of the world map.  However, the country was never free from high-handedness by vested interests by people who savoured freedom yet preferred luxury and comfort to commitment and hard work. 

People who lived for more than 60 years – this writer included - and watched the nation progress steadily by huge strides, step by step, are witnesses to a dream being logically fulfilled. Years of yearning by renowned and dignified people of eminence who streamlined a path to climax and had the nation bloom in the horizon of a new dawn, a new age and a new era with minutely planned strategy for development as also reared up noble minds to handle the overall political realm of a free India are never devoid of statistics. 

This trend must carry on and to this end, people must rise up in unison to vote in Congress Party for many more years.

Awake India!  Awake all.  Awake the young. Awake 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 leader in Smt. Indira Gandhi followed by a dignified icon in 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, hearken to 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 to 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 too.  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 at moments of 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!

Let Congress Party be your choice.  Congress Party made you proud.  Congress Party allowed you a joyride in to a 21^st century era of technology.  He who accompanied you to the Y2K has been snatched cruelly but a young, true and righteous visionary is already at the portal of 2014 ready to take charge.  Enable crown the young Indian so that with Congress Party the whole of India would sing the praise of  excellence in every sphere now and for years to come.