INDIA FIRST

The Congress party recently claimed that it was the only national party to bid for power during the next elections. Recognition of a political party as a national entity is done by the Election Commission in accordance with established rules, with which no one can evidently have any quarrel. Nor should any eyebrows be raised if the party’s intent is to highlight its presence in and ability to contest polls all over the country. But that is not the end of the story. The Congress cannot afford to forget that it has not been able to come to power either at the Centre or in several States on its own. In the largest State, U.P., it has been reduced to the status of a marginal player despite Gandhi family’s continuing nurturing of Amethi constituency. At the Centre, the UPA govt. was all but voted out by the Left & the BJP over the nuclear deal had the SP not outsmarted its opponents. Therefore, it is premature to accept the party’s exaggerated assessment of its strength notwithstanding the fact that its rule, barring some low points at the end, has largely been positive and successful. Wooing by AIADMK, despite Congress’ alliance with DMK, seems to endorse this view. Most impartial observers conceded that in the run up to the election, the Congress party has en edge over its rivals. This has as much to do with the sad state of affairs in BJP, which seems devoid of any constructive and alternative programs as with the splintered remnants of Third Front sought to be revived by the Left parties on the basis of anti-Congressism.

In such a scenario, Congress will be ill-advised to harp on its national status since it may have to rally smaller and regional parties to make the magical numbers. Aiming to acquire a majority by itself in the national elections should be the normal approach but it can be done better by adopting a national vision. The party functionaries could argue that that the two- national status and vision- are synonymous with one leading to the other. This is matter of semantics, not of policies. Congress has as much pandered to the regional, sectional, caste or minority sentiment as any other party. Lauding selling of cheap rice or providing free power in normal times amounts to the same. While those living in Delhi’s slums pay for power by individual meters, the students in JNU hostels need not do so. Didn’t the Congress government in A.P. reserve jobs for Muslims despite a clear mandate in the Constitution not to adopt policies based on religion? Ever since the government increased seats and jobs for OBCs, there has been a competition among even affluent castes to be declared backward. The ten-year mandate to frame such policies has been extended to more than half a century perpetuating a vested interest in poverty and backwardness. This is not expected of a party committed to all round progress and growth. Though attention to local issues is necessary, a national party must adopt a national vision. If Congress wishes to take the nation forward, it must believe in and act upon the dictum, INDIA FIRST.

Our Quam!

I was an eye-witness to this accident. While going to the local market in New Delhi, I saw a motor bike hitting from behind a stationary scooter on the traffic light, causing it to skid and suffer some damage. Fortunately, the victim suffered no injuries. Once on his toes, he confronted the motorcyclist and demanded an explanation and compensation. The road was a good ten feet lower so I stopped and looked down to overhear the exchange.
The motorcyclist disclaimed all responsibility while the scooter driver continued to protest strongly. As the argument raged on the road, the motor cyclist somehow managed to find that both of them, still in their teens, were Muslims. He patted the shoulder of the victim and tried to give it a new dimension.

“Bhai, hamari quam ki yahi mushkil hai. Hum ek dusre se ladne lagte hain.”(This is the problem with our community. We begin fighting among ourselves.)
The scooter driver was aghast and pushed him off. “Isme quam kahan se aa gayi? Hum sabhi Indian hain. Tumne hamara scooter toda so harzana do. (How does the question of community come in? We are all Indians. You damaged my scooter so compensate me for it.)

I didn’t stop to see how the fight ended. The scooter driver had made my day. I wish we, the grown ups, too had the maturity of the young scooter driver.

Of Greenathon & Lord Rama

Two curious things happened on the same evening of 8th February.

The NDTV channel collaborated with Toyota to launch a Greenathon- a mass movement dedicated to climate change, which raised more than 2 crore rupees within hours to provide solar power to villages deprived of electricity. There was a galaxy of stars pleading for ban on plastics, replacing traditional heat generating bulbs with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps), using CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) in place of gasoline products like petrol and diesel etc. Young boys and girls descended upon the banks of Yamuna in Delhi and on sea beaches of Mumbai to undertake token cleansing jobs sending out a clear message that the fight for saving environment can no longer be left to the governments of the day. It was heartening to see cricketers, cine artists and models teaming up to adopt villages and assuming social responsibility. It made a lot of sense. If you could spend lacs of rupees to buy a stake in an IPL team, you could surely invest some of your money in safeguarding the future for yourself and your children. If the initiative launched today survives over time and graduates from a tokenism to a mass movement, one can become hopeful about the future of this country and the world.

We need this optimism because those whose business it is to unite the country and lead it to a better future are still the prisoners of the past. We had the principal opposition party raking up the Ram temple issue, which it had conveniently put aside to remain in power for a full five years and remained forgetful of it all the while it sat in the opposition. The strange logic being that you need to be in power in the Centre and by yourself alone to build it at the controversial site where the Babri mosque stood and was pulled down in the presence of the PM-designate. It is another matter that the then CM of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Kalyan Singh who swore before the apex court to protect it, let it crumble and got away with a token sentence is swearing to destroy BJP in U.P. Why? Because his son was denied a ticket for the forthcoming polls from a constituency of his choice and SP promptly handed it on a platter with an eye on his clout among the backward castes. Sons succeed fathers across the political spectrum from DMK in the South, SP in the Hindi heartland to NC in Kashmir. But the charge of dynastic politics is reserved by the BJP only for the Congress. Who cares for the smaller fish when the fight is with a whale and you never know whose support you would need in the era of coalition politics. But what took the cake was Modi’s charge that 26/11 was not possible without local support. It would pit the Hindus against Muslims and also ensure that it made Congress look too soft to fight terror. It flew straight into India’s face, which had been claiming that the dastardly attack on our financial capital was planned and executed from Pakistan. It was made a day before Pakistan has to officially react to India’s dossier. Who needs enemies when you have such friends amongst your own people?

People and politicians seem to be pulling the cart of the nation in different directions.