The Hand's Favourite Communal Bogey

The Hand’s Favourite Communal Bogey

The Congress Party symbol is the open palm, presumably to signal transparency. But more often than not, its actions, manipulations and stratagems are the work of a surreptitious ‘hidden hand’. This serves to keep the poor forever poor, communal differences ever- alive, maligns its political opponents using fair means and foul, and even attempts to subvert the intent of the Indian Constitution itself.

Congress, true to form, is once again on the attack. This time it is to curb the power of the States in our ‘quasi-federal’ structure as laid out in the Constitution. And this sort of thing is becoming more desperate and brazen of late as its old ways of dividing and ruling are failing. The UPA, led by it, is collapsing under the sheer weight of its bad governance, its monumental corruption, and the sickeningly long list of unfulfilled promises.

And because a largely young electorate is fed up with its old- style politics as usual, in favour of Narendra Modi’s soaring vision and patriotism that appeals to their aspirations.

The UPA Government has a peculiar and decidedly cynical attitude to law and order. It does not hesitate to play politics with it though. Many find its stance inexplicably ‘soft’-particularly when it comes to Islamic terrorism. The Government also displays a dithering submissiveness when it comes to national security, often threatened by both Pakistan and China.

But even as the country is rendered insecure and vulnerable under its bad governance, the Congress, at the apex of the UPA, seems unconcerned but ever-ready to raise the old ‘secular-communal bogey’, and even  more so at election time.

The long gestating Communal Violence Bill, languishing for ten years in the works, is the latest attempt to stir unnecessary communal passions. This, months before general elections, and just as it is facing an electoral  loss in four state elections. The Congress however blandly says it is trotting the Bill out now to build ‘consensus’ on ways to protect the minorities in the face of violence.

But this is seen as bogus by many other parties. They feel the effect is more likely to further ‘polarise’ people and political view-points. The timing of the Bill’s introduction for discussion is seen as an attempt to paint any who oppose it, even in its present half-baked form, as anti-minority. Congress wants to play to the gallery and portray itself as a champion of the minorities for electoral gains.  It is thought to be yet another naked attempt to continue with the Congress’s long-standing brand of vote-bank politics.

This has come after trying to rush through an Ordinance only weeks ago which was willing to accept convicted criminals in Parliament and as candidates in elections. That effort came in the face of the express objections of even the Supreme Court! It was forced to be withdrawn on informal advice from the President of India, though Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi also attempted a dramatic turn with it.  But here is the Congress trying to twist things to suit itself once more.

BJP has reacted sharply, and wants a full-fledged debate on the Bill, as do several other parliamentary political parties. Prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s views on it also are very clear. Modi sees it as a rush job. He has lost no time in writing to the prime minister on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, calling it:  “ill-conceived, poorly drafted and a recipe for disaster”.

The SP, BSP, AIDMK, BJD, the Left and others also object to the Bill in its present form.  Mr. Sitaram Yechury of the Left thinks it is too broad in its provenance. Many others think it needs major amendments. The Left has also said it encroaches on the governance of the States of the Union, apart from creating a basis for politicising almost any difference of opinion between communities.

The Congress, in the face of this firestorm of protest, is seemingly back-tracking already, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath saying it is hardly ready to be tabled, has not come yet to the Cabinet etc.  

The Congress Party, already on the back-foot for its failure to foment fear in the minds of India’s Muslim citizens this time, will push the Communal Violence Bill as far as it can. Noted Lawyer Mr. Ram Jethmalani has also sharply criticised the Bill, and called it a ‘divisive’ piece of intended legislation.  

Modi, enjoying increasing popularity with the electorate, had, in a rally in Jammu some days ago, also called for a debate on the contentious Article 370 thereby breaching the taboo on it, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, most threatened by the notion, has agreed to join the debate.

This, while Sunanda Pushkar, also Mrs Shashi Tharoor of the Congress Party, has expressed her support for Modi’s concerns about the interpretation and use of the Article. Congress however continues to run scared of the very notion.

The BJP has always said Article 370 should be scrapped. It quotes Jawaharlal Nehru from time to time because he said it was ‘temporary’ when it was first imposed, and that J&K should become a full-fledged state of the Union in due course.

The Congress Party needs to come to terms with the idea that it has lost its credibility, and with this  devastating fact, the old certainties are changing. This makes it very difficult for it to manipulate its desired outcomes in the remaining months it will be in power. And any amount of playing ostrich in the sand won’t make the impending ouster go away.

(928 words)

December 5^th, 2013

Gautam Mukherjee