Congress is using its ‘politics of appeasement’ once more

Congress administered the nation for nearly three decades since independence, i.e., from 1947 to 1977. It has also been in charge of numerous states. In addition to its 30-year term, the Congress also held power from 1980 to 1990, 1991 to 1996 and 2004 to 2014. The Gandhi-Nehru progeny, that owns the party, and their ‘chelas’ or adherents always present themselves as though they are this nation’s uncrowned emperors. But over the last decade, Congress, which relished 55-year reign as the ruling body, has been suffering repeated setbacks. Having to stay out of office in a row and with no indication of returning for at least another ten, the Congressmen are getting desperate. Being accustomed to the perks of power, they are now growing increasingly resentful for having to sit on the opposing benches. And hence, the Gandhi family and all those who support them are making valiant efforts to regain power. Their desperation is driving them to once more turn to appeasement politics which is evident in their manifesto prepared for the Lok Sabha elections. The nation has already suffered grossly as a result of Congress’s long-standing use of appeasement strategy. Even its leadership is aware that ‘politics of appeasement’ was responsible for the gradual decline of the party post 1990 but still they want to continue this same route.

Across the nation, ‘Modi ki guarantee’ – fulfilling pledges made to the common people – has gained popularity. I can understand the Congress’s leaders urge to ridicule this phrase ‘Modi ki guarantee’. They have assured 25 ‘guarantees’ in their manifesto. In 1971, when Smt. Indira Gandhi went to polls with the slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’, she garnered a resounding response from the people and the Congress was overwhelmingly elected to power. Later, the entire nation saw firsthand how Congress’s promise of ‘Garibi Hatao’ went down the drains. The Congress miserably failed to end poverty despite having a sizeable majority and being in control for a long time. But those in positions of power within the Congress, the office bearers and people’s representatives surpassed the poverty level considerably sooner than the impoverished, who persisted in being further impoverished.

During its reign, the Congress proposed many schemes for the underprivileged, yet the poor never benefitted. In actuality, the beneficiaries of these schemes were the ‘dalals’ and the middlemen, linked with the Congress leaders or even the power structure, who became extremely wealthy. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was aware of this harsh reality that throughout their tenure, the money allocated for different welfare programs never made it to the impoverished and it used to get embezzled through the numerous gaps. Rajiv Gandhi had acknowledged in public during the centennial session that the poor were receiving only 15 paise out of every Re.1 in government schemes. Regretfully, the Congress leadership never apologized or demonstrated a desire to understand why poverty persisted even after money being set aside for a number of initiatives.

Congress, in its current manifesto, has once again showered the poor with guarantees. For 55 years, they never bothered to pay the farmers prices commensurate with the production costs of their agricultural produce. The Swaminathan Commission had also suggested that the farmers be paid the minimum support price during the 2004-2014 Dr. Manmohan Singh government’s tenure in office. But this suggestion was rejected by the Singh administration and none of them ever felt or expressed any guilt about the fact that they were unable to improve the condition of the farmers during their regime. In the current manifesto, however, the Congress leadership has pledged to carry out the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations.

While pouring assurances for farmers, women and youth, the manifesto also shows how the Congress has crossed all limits in its ‘politics of appeasement’. The manifesto pledges to provide minorities the autonomy to choose their own laws. It may be recalled that the Supreme Court in 1986, during the Shah Bano case hearing, had stated that Muslim women will be granted the same right to alimony as women from other communities. Hard-line Muslim organizations had challenged the government at the time for doing this. Fearing that the Congress would lose out if the government followed the Supreme Court’s decision, the then Rajiv Gandhi government changed the constitution and overturned the court’s decision.

Once again, the Congress, in the avatar of pre-independence era Muslim league, is getting ready to face the voters. Many ordinary Muslim women, who shared tales of injustice of triple talaq practice, later heaved a sigh of relief when the Modi government ended this unjust practice. The fundamental tenet of the Indian Constitution is that every person, regardless of caste, religion or faith, should be entitled to equal protection under law. But the Congress leadership want to defy this fundamental tenet and give the minorities the choice to choose the law, since they are sure they will not return to power.

 

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India -08 April 2024)

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson