Indian National Congress is reportedly the largest and oldest democratic political party of the world with a very memorable history and leadership for more than a century.
In 63 years after independence, Congress party was/is in power for 55 years. So it implies without saying that whatever India is today, good or bad, the credit squarely goes to the grand old party. But what did they do to earn this power and what did they do with the power is altogether a different question. Looking back:
JL Nehru was more known for being an elite member and the most visible face among the political fraternity rather than his personal sacrifices for independence struggle. His affair with Edwina Mountbatten as a legendary folklore is more popular than his diplomatic achievements. His association with Gandhi, personal charisma and monetary status conferred him the prime minister-ship without any hurdle.
I won't mince a word before declaring my opinion that Nehru was the worst prime minister, India ever had. The kind of potential and fire in the newly independent country could have done wonders but bad decision making and mismanagement turned the tables for the whole country which inflicted a bad bruise on the face of Indian commoner.
Partition and subsequent riots that left a scar on both communities was very much avoidable if Nehru -Jinnah ego clash subsided. The scar developed into an unresolvable pit in the name of Kashmir conflict, thanks to his poor crisis management skills.
Current bitterness against China, present Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim border issues, unnecessary intervention in Chinese internal affairs by providing asylum to Dalai Lama, defeat in the Indo-China war are all certificates earned by Nehru.
Bad choice of getting closer to USSR and snubbing US (despite non-alignment policy), implementing socialism which brought in license raj resulting in todays corruption (read my previous article about India: History of corruption) remain the black spots in Indian history.
On the flip side, he established premier education system and presented a young India to the world, but damage done was much more.
LB Shastri had a very short but able stint but had to succumb to heart attack (or poisoning ???).
Indira who became the next PM had no other eligibility or qualification except being Nehru's daughter and having (Feroze) Gandhi's last name.
With the sobriquet Iron lady, she took issues like Kashmir and Khalistan by horns. India won war against Pakistan, shook Khalistani (separatist punjabi) movement, began nuclear program. Defense became stronger in her era.
But hers was a golden era for corruption. The whole system got infested with corrupt executives, bureaucrats, police. She openly encouraged nepotism by conferring unlawful powers to unqualified rowdies like Sanjay Gandhi.
The worst phase of democracy anybody ever saw in world history occurred in the form of "Emergency". When the whole country was against her and when she was about to loose her position and power, she called for emergency claiming that the country was in trouble ($%/?&?&%?*&). 2 years of dictatorship, tyranny and authoritarianism plunged India two decades back in terms of development and human rights.
Her decision of unnecessary involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs and creating Bangladesh gave a reason and motivation for Kashmiri militants and Pakistani intelligence to split Kashmir from India and the quagmire is getting deeper by day. Desecrating Golden temple gave a chance to expat punjabi families to scream ugly slogans about Indian democracy even to this day.
Rajiv Gandhi again had a unquestionable privilege to become the prime minister of the country just because he was a son of her ex-PM mommy. A guy who didn't know the demographic and political coordinates of India became the prime minister out of nowhere and the gang of sycophants crooned his glory since then and its going on even today by naming every airport, road, sports village, government scheme on his name.
Behind suave and handsome looks was an immature mind which created a new passive enemy called Sri Lanka. Again, like his mom and grandpa, he meddled with internal affairs of an alien land and thanks to his decision, both the Sri Lankan govt and the LTTE started looking India as their enemy and hence the provision for China and Pakistan to setup a naval and army base in Sri Lanka. His assassination by LTTE was another outcome of his regime.
Mr.Clean as he was initially referred to, smeared his face with Bofors scandal (mother of all political scandals), Bhopal gas tragedy and subsequent escape of its Firang boss.
Anti sikh riots that took place after Indira's assassination was passively supported by Rajiv but he gave a new meaning to "secularism" when he dismissed supreme court judgement about equal rights to muslim divorcée women just to corner muslim votes through appeasement. Uniform civil code (equal treatment of citizens of all religions) was never upheld just to make sure secularism is applicable only for non-minorities. Religious divide and hatred took a new turn
PV Narasimha Rao came as a breath of fresh air in the dynastic politics and nepotism infected congress party. He started abolishing the license raj, imposing new economic reforms, bolstering liberalization and globalization and earning the title of "Father of Indian Economic Reforms". He brought in an official like Manmohan Singh into limelight who in-turn implemented PVN's vision. India took steps towards being a nuclear nation under his era. Crisis management was PVN's forte despite running a minority government.
Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue and scandals like Lakkubhai Pathak case, St.Kitts' forgery case tarnished his image heavily (but as usual with every politician, he got acquitted from all corruption related cases).
But the sad part was after his death when his body was not allowed into AICC headquarters or teen murti bhavan and neither did the incumbent chief of congress, Sonia Gandhi pay minimal courtesy visit to his funeral. His legacy was demolished and sadly hijacked by wicked dynastic worshippers.
Sonia Gandhi, by far the luckiest woman the world history has ever seen, became the chief of congress after a brief stunt from manipulative Sitaram Kesri. Sonia, an italian by birth, a novice by political experience, an ineligible by knowledge about India skyrocketed to chair the most important position by becoming a non-ruling and unofficial PM by installing a puppet govt under Manmohan Singh. Sonia has apparently emerged as an unconstitutional power who takes undue credit of the development that happens, but never takes accountability or responsibility for any failures. Smart Move !
Manmohan Singh is the most educated, best informed, most humble and honest prime minister, India has seen as yet. He is more a working leader than a managing leader and has been doing exceptionally well under the given circumstances. Nuclear agreement with US, improving the economy, stabilizing volatile situations, breaking the shackles of corruption are few of his notable achievements. With a bit more authority over cabinet and bit more transparency, and bit more pro-activity, he can eventually become the best PM of India so far.
So the bottom line is that if India is backward in development, living standards, infrastructure, honesty, Congress is responsible for that and if India is a powerful, self sufficient nation, Congress is responsible for that too.
5 comments:
I have not been this elaborate kaani I have done something along these lines Chandu.. a well-written post as usual.. they had so much of scope yet they ended up doing more harm than any invader ever did to India..
By the way Blog-a-Thon, a post a day for this month try cheyyakoodadu.. I would be glad to read you :).
Though with all the supporting arguments and proofs we have of all the Congress Messup? Did you ever think despite all this flaws and mistakes...nd things they did that hampered the scenario of a Whole Sub-Continent.
How are generations of Congress Leaders (Close to 5 Decades) surviving so victorious, they are the top most feared (Eg:Vadra), powerful people and How are they even recieving all the privilege of things being named after them, Crores of budgets spent on their special occasions, Confidence of millions of Voters for Years..Patronized by People,..Supported by Media,..Friends of top Actors nd top Businessmen..nd Amazing Sportsmen..?. How are they deserving all this?.
I mean even by common logic, Instead because these people are the worst rulers ever, Y havent they struggled, crashed to ground, hated, pelted with stones, Statues demolished, Posters torn and burnt on Bdays?. Y arent they least respected?. Actaully Y not they were sent out of the Country??.
Despite all the their messup, If they are recieving all the Undeserved privileges for Decades without being touched, What do you think is wrong? Where is Karma here? (Death of Nehru..Gave chance to Indira..Her Death....Made way for Rajiv..His Death..We know who it made way for?)...
If we say, them getting credit is only because of peoples foolishness and Unaware citizens.. Are we being to Naive in assuming that generations of the Indian Population were so Unaware of things Congress has done?. So Naive to Understand damage done? Or are they simply blind about all this?.
I have never found an answer for this question? Despite being a staunch hater, It sometimes leaves me with a feeling, If they are really enjoying this God Like Status in the Country. Have they really done something good? Is all that we think or all the negative that is being reported about the family is not accurate?. Have the really made sacrifices for the country Which makes them deserve all the Credit they get.? (Name of Places...Grand Celebration of their Bdays..Projecting them as the top Indians ever born?)
To Summarize my Questions. So Is it True and Can we explicity now state and agree that "India and Indians have succesfully been fooled and exploited for 6 Decades and counting!" by a single Political Party and a Political Family?. Too hard to believe this eh? Millions of Indians in various Gen's fooled by just a small Pool of People (May be 30 key members in 6 Decades). Are we mising something here? (Just an Alternate View)
Very thought provoking comments, Santhosh !
Rather than generalizing that millions of countrymen were fooled, the rise and power of Congress can be more attributed to lack of formidable, credible opposition and adept numbers game by the Congress. Till JP's movement post emergency, there was metaphorically no opposition and even further, poor leadership and confused ideology of Janata Party fell flat.
Another factor which worked strongly in favor of Congress was sympathy and sentiment. Most of hardcore voters of congress either associate today's congress with pre-independent struggle, Gandhiji or their community and caste mass votebase. Rajiv Gandhi and PVNR eras began purely due to sympathy factors due to assassinations of their leaders. Neither regimes were elected twice !
Another important factor - Congress is best at numbers. They tapped the huge anti-communal, secular, pro-appeasement votebanks onto one shield which was a great feat. Those who voted for congress were more averse to BJP than in favor of Congress. That made repelling parties with extremely opposite ideologies to come together to support Congress. Example - SP, BSP in UP, Left, Mamta in WB etc. There were people and politicians alike who announced corruption was better than communalism. Boom ! that clicked fairly well. For difficult allies, there was always CBI cleanchit bait.
Congress was never in power on it's own after Rajiv Gandhi. PVNR led a minority government. MMS-SG duo brought UPA together. When voters never gave more than 30% to congress in last 3 decades and if they still end up being rulers with alliances, voters can't be held responsible too. Lot of factors, sentiments, numbers are falling in right place at right times for them.
Despite all hullabaloo over corruption, Anna effect, Modi effect or whatever, I won't be surprised to see UPA - 3
Just want to add to Sharath's comments, the only biggest opposition party that could evolve in all these decades is BJP, but unfortunately communal tag is attached to it, which became Achilles Heel & thats the end of the story, all the like minded, pseudo-secular parties or citizens of this country will make sure that they exploit this "Heel" of BJP to keep them away from the chair. And we all know that its very easy over here. The seat has always been vacant and we all know congress is best at creating this void all the time so that it can put itself in there. So even if people want or not / like it or not, it has been these two leg creatures with "one" hand ruling us.
Wotever analysis anyone makes, calculations we make, these congis know very well that they will ultimately come to power though they are briefly out of chair, they know how foolish we all are & know how to manipulate us, thats the reason the confidence seen in congress party is not seen in any other party.
Though Sharath's last statement is depressing, its very true.
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