As expected, Congress has taken umbrage at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speeches. He attacked Congress’ idea of redistribution of wealth and reminded voters about its policy approach of a quota for Muslims. Although the Congress’s unease while facing this attack is understandable, the fact that their leadership is at its wit’s end to respond to it is noteworthy.
The usual critics of the BJP have come out with routine objections. But the question is: Why is India’s Grand Old Party compelled to take a defensive approach? Why can’t it outrightly dismiss the lure of three outdated approaches — minority-centred policymaking, socialism and paranoia — as a means to garner votes?
A quota for Muslims?
While Congress has made a brouhaha over the PM’s “attack”, it has not been able to say that it has dropped the idea of a faith-based quota, something that was rejected lock, stock and barrel by the makers of our Constitution. The party has been unable to disassociate itself from Manmohan Singh’s ill-conceived and uncalled-for statement about the “first right (of minorities)” on national resources. It has failed to re-interpret Singh’s words to make them look less divisive either. Congress’ age-old habit — thinking about “How Muslims would react” — has made their worldview more or less Muslim-focused.
Whether the question is that of a Uniform Civil Code or of the abrogation of Article 370, the Congress has based its positions not on the Constitution of India but on the answer to the aforementioned question/worry.
Before Independence, it was the same question that decided Congress’ approach to the national song debate with ‘Vande Mataram’ and on the colours of the national flag. Tragically, Congress has imprisoned itself in this obsolete policy approach. These tactics of vote-bank politics are no longer reaping dividends.
Nehru, Congress, socialism
In 1955, at the Avadi session of CWC, the Congress officially adopted “a socialist pattern of development”. How can one forget that in 1976, with complete disregard for the framers of the Constitution, Congress needlessly inserted two terms — socialist and secular — into the Preamble of the Constitution? There is not much difference between Indira Gandhi’s approach then and Rahul Gandhi’s approach today.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s love for socialism was obvious. What Nehru said at the Avadi session, on January 22, 1955, could be termed as the mainspring of Rahul Gandhi’s politics: “Socialism or communism might help you to divide your existing wealth, if you like, but in India, there is no existing wealth for you to divide; there is only poverty to divide.” But, the cat was out of the bag soon enough. He went on to say: “We must produce wealth, and then divide it equitably.” Nehru’s great-grandson has taken a leaf out of his speech causing fear that he wants India to be taken back to the past.
Congress’ Anyaay Patra
Congress’ obsession with obsolete socialist ideas refuses to die. As if Rahul Gandhi’s idea of redistribution of wealth is not confusing enough, Sam Pitroda has now talked of the inheritance tax, legislation that empowers the government to take away some 50 per cent of the property of a deceased person and redistribute the same as claimed by him. True, these things are not part of the Congress’ manifesto. But then, neither Emergency of 1975 nor the post-Shah Bano legislation, had ever featured in their manifestos. Critics have a reason to be suspicious of Congress’ hidden agenda. Voters must read between the lines and match them with their leaders’ statements and realise that the party’s so-called Nyaay Patra, is in fact a “Charter of Anyaay”.
Creating paranoia
Creating paranoia is the third of Congress’ usual tactics. Congress leaders’ diehard obsession with socialism, combined with Rahul Gandhi’s speeches — the official-unofficial face of the INDI alliance — and Sam Pitroda’s interviews about the inheritance tax seem to substantiate fears about Congress’ hidden agenda. The Congress is working overtime to peddle paranoia and attack the BJP with accusations of wanting to change the Constitution. Meanwhile, during its multiple regimes, it is Congress that has amended the Constitution a whopping 80 times. Besides, their dream of offering a quota to Muslims within the legally permissible limit not only amounts to crass injustice to SC, ST and OBCs, it is also blatantly unconstitutional.
Sadly, power has been the only elixir for Congress. Whenever India’s GOP is starved of political power, it stops thinking and loses political will; whatsoever, to govern. Its motivation is only to reap the benefits of power. As a consequence, it has become a party that is ideologically outdated, organisationally fragmented and psychologically defeated. Of course, when there is nothing new to bring to the table, Congress continues to depend on old agendas, some obvious, many hidden.
The writer is president, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, former national vice-president of the BJP and MP, Rajya Sabha
