Yata Praja, Thatha
Raja
The election verdict of the four Central States that went to
polls says so- Yata Praja, Thatha Raja ( as are the people , so is the King).
The people, in Delhi have shown their dislike for the Grand Old Party,
Congress. They want a new ruler just like one of them. AAP promised them that
it will do just what they want and this alternative was too pleasing to be
given up. BJP got its usual share of votes from its loyal clientele of traders
and shopkeepers while AAP wrested the share of Congress from the youth and the Middle class.
What was the AAP’s USP? It promised an alternative and that was power to the people to govern
themselves. To do this AAP first made
corruption as the central issue and
repeatedly said “all neta chor hai.’ The target was deflected at Congress in
the main and then to all other parties by organizing Press conferences every
week and alleging corruption against individuals belonging to different parties.
Vadra, Khurshid, Gadkari were charged ,but
AAP never went to lodge a FIR against anyone about whom it said it had incriminating
evidence. The public gulped it and no one asked why such evidence had not been
brought before the court of Law. None of the three was caught by the big arm of
Law.for want of that incriminating evidence. Yet the perception gained ground that all of them were ‘chors’. The strategy was as
simple as shoot and scoot for the idea was to throw mud that will stick . The
public will not be bothered whether the mud gets washed off at the end. The art
of mudslinging was made into a perfect art and AAP could emerge as a honest
party because all other politicians were dishonest scoundrels.
But how many really asked who among the Delhi Government led
by Sheila Dixit was corrupt? How many asked who among the PM’s Congress
ministers was corrupt? (The Oppositions’ tirade against Dr Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram
did not hold before the Supreme Court)How many asked where Delhi Government had
let them down? Proximity to the Central
Government and perception that all PM’ men are corrupt nailed the Congress
coffin.
The pity is there was no one from Congress even to list out
Delhi Government’s achievements and refute the tag of corruption attached to
it. Price rise was a visible pointer to the downfall of a government that
looked helpless in the wake of sudden spurt in the price of onions, vegetables and
fruits. The price rise hit hard all other states also, but Delhi got the brunt
of it because it happens to be the seat of both the Central government and the
Delhi Government. It will be interesting to know that one of the fruit vendors
whom I met after casting my vote said that the prices will come down from
tomorrow once a new government is sworn in. It is not rocket science to
understand the significance of such a comment – and that too from a road side vendor.
As an objective ‘party-
neutral’ person, I feel Congress is doomed if it continues ostrich-like with
its head buried in sand. Rahul’s brave
comment to follow the AAP and connect with people is yet another instance of
his walking in the air without feeling the ground reality. The ground reality
is people do not and cannot take him seriously. Here is a young man who thinks
he is Julius Ceasar to refuse a berth offered to him in the PM’s cabinet, not
once or twice but thrice. With no understanding of how a government functions,
and to expect to be straightaway catapulted to the PM’s chair is either some kind of misplaced confidence(or
arrogance) or in a more uncharitable way
it is cocking a snook at people’s maturity and intelligence. His recent
grandstanding at a Press conference to signal
his disapproval of Congress’attempt not to bar convicted persons from standing
for election did not fetch him kudos but
derision. He who has been incommunicado as a Member of Parliament for the last
nine and a half years except for the occasional outburst during the Lokpal
debate can no longer hide his none too great oratorical and debating skills
especially in an election year. The thinning and yawning crowds at his election
speeches were an index of people’s disappointment with him . If he had openly
declared that he is not going to be the PM, instead of quoting his mother’s
advice that ‘power is poison’ , he would have attracted large crowds to hear
him speak as someone with no personal or dynastic self-interest. Rahul and the
coterie surrounding him should project him as an honest, uncorrupt, well
meaning young man and not as a leader who could mesmerize and inspire people.
Rahul is no Jawaharlal Nehru nor is he PM
material.
Now is the time for what Sonia calls deep introspection. I
would say it should be genuine and honest introspection. Congress should do the
following if it is not to be wiped off the political map of India.
1. It should at once announce its PM designate who should be
acceptable to all its coalition partners. Let the person nominated be a person of
impeccable honesty, cultured and civilized, able to connect with the youth on
the one hand and the masses on the other, efficient and well educated. Among
the young, are Scindia, Pilot, Deoras, Prithviraj Chauhan and among the older
generation,Sheila and Chidambaram fit
the bill more than anyone else. Even Salman Khurshid can be thought of as the
best example of selection on merit and not on religion-based factors. Congress brand of secularism will be in
evidence if they promote Salman Khurshid to the highest office.
2.Rahul should stay as President or the Vice-president of
the Congress and clean up the Agean
stables of the party and make it a democratic party that will not function
as high command and dictate.
3. Congress should get some of its young articulate
ministers to speak about the achievements of UPA II (not of UPA I) and remove
the cobwebs in the minds of the people to make them see that all Congressmen are
not corrupt as they have been made out.
3. No new sops should be offered during its last term as
people will sneer at them even while receiving them in full measure.
4. To develop grassroot leadership of honest and uncorrupt
persons in every State, who can connect with the people at all levels.
5. Youth is always dreaming and they will follow anyone who
just promises to translate their dreams into reality. What does the youth want?
-jobs, education and a good standard of living. Can Congress work out plans to
establish good educational and technical
institutions and facilities that would ensure employability? Congress has to re-draw a plan
of implementable action (not gimmicky words) that will satisfy the aspirations
of the youth. Congress has to identify bright young people to whom the youth
will be ready to lend their ears.
6. Congress should pass Women’s Bill and if there are
hurdles, it should expose those parties that create the hurdles even if this means
losing their support. Lokpal Bill has to be passed even if it is a diluted
version. The opposition will try to stall it by demanding difficult amendments;
Congress should pass the Bill keeping it open for periodic amendments.
Otherwise on this issue that is utopian in intent, AAP with the blessings of
Anna will once again sway people who will not understand the problems of governance
if the Bill is Anna’s version. Government should show that it means business
and even if there is opposition, it should pass Lokpal bill with whatever
emendations that are required so that government bureaucrats can function
without tension.
7. Congress should re-invent itself. Throughout its second
innings, every policy that Congress proposed was disposed off by the
opposition.
8. Above all, it should emerge as a strong alternative where
its strength is moral and derived from the strength of the people. AAP has
given a new thrust to the people, but in politics the art of governance cannot
be given to people. Democracy is for the
people but democratic governance cannot be by the people, but only by those
elected by the people. Honesty, transparency, integrity and service to the
people should be the focus if Congress wants to be reckoned once more. The
party has many intellectuals, well educated, and cultured in their talk and
action. It has talent in its party, but
poilical genius is missing. The party’s introspection should lead to the
discovery of that Genius.
9.Finally, it is great to trumpet that ours is a great
democracy with the slogan Yata Praja, Thatha raja. Can Congress make people
understand that the reverse is more important -
Yata Raja, Thatha Praja( as is the king, so a re the people). If the King
is a philosopher statesman, the country will regain its past glory. If not, the
country will descend into a Tower of Babel where no voice will be heard.
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