So, as the June 1 media reports on data show, we are
actually not outstripping China in GDP growth. This gives rise to a cynical-sceptical
thought: Did we ever grow faster than China during the Modi regime, considering
that the entire basis for calculating the GDP growth was changed during the
Modi 1.0 tenure? If this is the first official confirmation of the truth that
was swept not-so-firmly under the carpet, there must be other truths that may
seep through the sieves and slits with the passage of time. Like, the
strong-arm ‘muscular’ Kashmir policy disaster, the post-Balakot foreign policy
fiasco, or Trump not being exactly in love with ‘Hindis/Hindoos’ as retailed by
the BJP propaganda machine; we are merely a part of the crowd crying for Uncle
Sam’s benign attention.
Now, begins the Modi 2 tenure. And one looks askance
at the HRD minister’s devotion to astrology as the ultimate science, which he
has certified as being bigger than anything the human mind could ever conceive
or invent. Nirmala Sitharaman, whom I once admired, does not inspire much
confidence as Finance Minister, if the reports are true that she is going to
continue from where her predecessor had left. We have witnessed, and experienced,
what the Arun Jaitley brand of economics has wrought for the country – falling exports,
plummeting industrial growth, rising unemployment and a series of agricultural
disasters, among other things. The Jaitley brand of economics has resulted in a
virtual exodus of the bright and the talented youth to foreign climes. Just
hark back to the last stages of the UPA 1 under Dr Manmohan Singh when there
were tangible prospects of turnaround in the notorious brain drain. If only the
wise and gentle Singh was not hobbled by his colleagues in the second term,
India’s growth story would have been entirely different. It was his regime that
had initiated comprehensive policies to fight black money – both at the
national and international levels. But, before those policies could bear fruit,
the time was up and the BJP motormouths usurped the credit for those same
policies.
One might be forgiven for wondering whether India is
actually destined to be Modified for all times to come. Is it the end of the
road for the Indian National Congress? Has the Right-Wing pseudo-patriotism
finally triumphed over the pseudo-liberal bleeding hearts? Actually, one must
ask an honest question: Did India ever have genuinely liberal politicians in
recent times?
However, the chinks in the Modi 2 regime’s armour should
give hope for rejuvenation of a genuinely Liberal India, if the Congress
realises the fact that its original values are the only option for the
rejuvenation of its and the nation’s body-politic. Given the overwhelming
victory of the Modi-Shah-led BJP in the 2019 General Elections, it would be
easy to accept not just their invincibility but also eternalness of the Modi Raj.
Politicians of all shades, shapes and sizes are flocking into the waiting BJP
fold, protesting undying loyalty to Modi, Shah and BJP – in that order. But
these very turncoats might eventually prove to be the BJP’s undoing. Similarly,
the appointments as ministers of the likes of Pokhriyal, Sarangi and quite a
few others may well prove to be avoidable liabilities. Such ministers may push India
into choppier waters – both nationally and internationally.
This is where the opposition’s, especially the Indian
National Congress Party’s, role becomes vital. The INC needs to be restored to
its original robust health. It is time for the Party to democratise its operations
and allow its various systems and structures to function in such a manner that genuine
leadership talent is groomed from among the rank and file. This requires building
up of a well-informed and disciplined cadre throughout India. Its members
should be imbued with the Party’s original values. Only who prove their
leadership credentials at the cadre level should be allowed to takeover the
reins of the party and, eventually, the nation. Under no circumstance should incumbents
and their progeny be allowed to monopolise the Indian National Congress. This
can be ensured by making it mandatory that no Party president should be elected
for more than two terms. Of course, all this is not going to happen in a year
or two, but will take several years. Since Rahul Gandhi has shown the zeal, and
not mere willingness, to reform the INC, there is a hope that the Augean
stables can be cleansed at last. Whatever the costs, get rid of the Old Guard –
a pseudonym for the corrupt, inefficient and regressive INC veterans who have inflicted
lethal damage on the Party. It is time to give a chance to young men and women
to inject huge doses of idealist-ethical and genuinely pro-people values into
the systems and structures of the Party.
It was shocking to watch the Congress leadership shed
its traditional values and dally with soft-Hindutva – the most ham-handed way
of challenging the NAMO hegemony. People are not fools, they can recognise a fake
when they see one. It is high time the INC got rid of the policy of appeasement
of the orthodoxies belonging to various communities and castes. Vote-bank
politics should be given a burial. Caste, creed etc should never be allowed to become
political considerations – as they have been for so long now. Let merit and
character be a Congress leader’s basic qualification. There are any number of
young, educated and progressive persons among Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians
etc who should be given a chance to rise through genuinely democratic means in
the INC’s hierarchy and bury the dynastic tag once and for all. The Party must
do away with the obnoxious, corrupt and sycophantic cliques that have brought
the nation and the Party to such a pass.
It is time to hark back to the Nehruvian times and
learn how, in those times, the leaders of equal stature bonded and interacted
as a team, despite their differences on certain aspects of policy and governance.
Their loyalty to the nation and its constitution was uncompromising and
unquestionable. The Party’s leadership has done immense harm to its credibility
and stature by ignoring other non-Nehru-Gandhi Congress great leaders like Dr
Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose etc. Similarly, the
contributions of the likes of Lal Bahadur Shastri, PV Narsimha Rao etc have
gone unacknowledged for far too long. This blunder and gross injustice must be
immediately rectified in order to strengthen the Party’s moral fibre; this will
help deter any straying away from its standards, ideals and traditions.
There is no need to resurrect the foreign or economic
policies of the Nehruvian times or even of the Indira Gandhi period, though,
because they have become obsolete in the 21st century India. But
there is a crying need for regenerating and adopting the Nehruvian era’s values,
with certain modifications to suit the needs of a 21st century
India. For example, the concepts of ‘reservation’ ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’
have assumed odious connotations because of their misuse. Let
non-discriminatory system of empowerment of the deprived replace the current
system of reservations. Similarly, economic and social egalitarianism may be
systemically implemented in lieu of socialism. As for secularism, pluralism is
a far more practical and transparent alternative which can prevent converting
the various minorities into exploitable vote banks.
The INC is standing at the most precarious of
crossroads in its long, chequered history. Will its leadership show the courage
to introspect and have the vision to initiate comprehensive reforms? Or, will
the Party sink into the oblivion forever? Whatever be the case, one thing is
for sure that, despite the likes of Pokhriyals, Sarangis et al, India will
refuse to turn into a nation of superstitious, moronic, regressive bigots.
Do remember one thing, in politics, the vacuum of such
dimensions in the opposition ranks cannot remain unfilled forever. Some other,
yet unknown, political entity may rise and step in to fill up the void, and
eventually provide a credible alternative to the Modified BJP.
One only hopes, this does not happen too late.
No comments:
Post a Comment