Political scenario in India

— Dr Om Prasad Das Parliamentary Election 2009 is knocking at the door and each and every political party has started boosting up their hectic political activities. During the last tenure of UPA-led Congress Government in lots of improvement have been noticed in various sectors and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have implemented many of the welfare schemes initiated by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Among the various welfare schemes of the Congress Government was the Sachar committee report at the behest of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. During the previous Congress regimes after independence various such committees were formed to ascertain the upliftment level of the Muslim community in India but unfortunately the Congress leaders did very little for proper implementation of such committee reports. Sachar committee submitted during the last tenure of Congress Government pointed out the level of poverty, illiteracy and backwardness of the Muslim community in India even after so many decades of Independence. The presence of a strong Hindu-lobby in Congress is a matter of history. Even today the Indian National Congress which speaks highly about Gandhian secularism and Mahatma Gandhi’s political philosophy, clandestinely pursuade a pro-Hindu policy. Gandhiji treated people of all castes, creeds, religions and regions equally. Mahatma said that he had no objection if the Britishers leave the political control of India and embrace India as their motherland. Such a great political philosopher is rare not only Indian politics but also in global politics.

Gandhiji said that he was not a four-anna member of Indian National Congress but the fact remains none can be at par with Gandhiji in so far as contribution to the freedom struggle of India is concerned. His sublime philosophy of Sarva Dharma sama vaba must be accepted by all political parties of India in true sense of the term for a better future of our country where peace, brotherhood, unity and amity will reign supreme. But it is a matter of agony that Gandhiji’s political philosophy is only in name and not implemented in letter and spirit by any political party not even the Indian National Congress. The presence of a strong Hindu-lobby in the Congress Party alienated Mohammad Ali Jinnah from the Congress which culminated in the strengthening of Muslim league and ultimately partision of India. The Gandhian philosophy that is still pursued by the Indian National Congress is probably because of the presence of the Nehru-Gandhi family at the helm of affairs of the Congress Party. For a brief period after the sad and untimely demise of Rajiv Gandhi, when Nara-simha Rao was the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi was learning the “A, B,C,D” of politics.

A black spot in Indian politics in the post independence era was the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Many political thinkers are of the opinion that Narasimha Rao had a Hindu sentiment as the then Prime Minister due to which the catostrophe could occur. But there is hope of a better future of Indian National Congress today due to the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and it can be foreseen that such anti-secular activities will not recur in India during Congress tenure till Nehru-Gandhi family dominates the proceedings of the party. But both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should be aware of a strong Hindu lobby within the Congress.

Orissa violence and killing of Christians in an inhuman manner will remain as a black-spot of Manmohan Singh regime. Proper security measures were not taken by the Central Government machinery to prevent the assault on Christians in Orissa, as complained by the Orissa Chief Minister. The then Home Minister Shivraj Patil must be blamed not only for inefficient handling of Orissa-violence but also for the numerous bomb blasts in different parts of the nation during his tenure as Home Minister of the UPA Government. But Shivraj Patil was a very weak and inefficient Home Minister, India had ever witnessed.

There was a time when the Congress Party had dedicated workers even after Independence to serve this nation in true sense of term, but today most of the Congressmen are hungry for power and money and they even employ muscle-power to win elections, which is in sharp contrast to Gandhian philosophy.

If the NDA-led by LK Advani comes to power again after 2009 Parliamentary elections then they should give proper attention to the upliftment of the Muslim community in India because the Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder with the Hindus and sacrificed a lot in attaining Independence from the British. The BJP is blamed that it is a party of higher-caste Hindus. BJP leaders must take proper steps to free the party from that blame. The BJP should be a party with renewed vigour and potency imbribing true secularism so that even the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of lower castes Hindus can repose their faith in the party. Every Indian is aware of the capability and personality of LK Advani but what is needed to rule India is the faith of every community and religion. The BJP should not be dictated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS or Bajrang Dal. of Indian politics.

Ram Mandir construction is not what is indeed at this hour of Indian politics. What is needed is proper corruption-free, idealistic governance and for this LK Advani as a leader has the political will, but some of the BJP policies should be reviewed and issues like Ram Mandir construction should be dropped from the BJP agenda, atleast temporarily for a few decades till the people repose full faith in the party irrespective of caste, creed and religion. If BJP comes to power, then the party should have the good-will to implement the Sachar committee report in letter and spirit for the uplift of the Muslim community. Otherwise the Muslims will never repose faith in the BJP. ASSAM TRIBUNE