Shiban Khaibri
Needless to reiterate that the results of the recent general elections made the best of considered predictions turn into failures of an unprecedented magnitude. Many of these “political stalwarts” must still be feeling aghast. Just remember Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, reportedly some cine stars about leaving the country. Thank God none left. Ex- Prime Minister H.D.Devegowda predicting with a precision of the sorts that Narindra Modi would “never become Prime Minister of India and if he becomes, then I shall leave both politics and Karnataka “. He left neither but compromised with the realities and has shied not in praising Modi
for what he appears to be doing. “Do and appear to be doing” is what this country scurried for a decade or so for the PM as the PM to look, appear and act. Mani Shanker Iyer’s “never, never and never” for Modi also miserably flopped. Shashi Tharoor, a Congress leader expressed without any reservations about the new Prime Minister,” He is amazingly gracious, liberal and accommodating since victory”. The Congress Party, however, lost no time in saying, “Views expressed by Tharoor are his personal views.” Astonished over the unexpected reaction of his Party, Tharoor retorted , “Churlish, if not to acknowledge Modi’s efforts to reach out …..” It is sounding ludicrous that having been reduced to just 42 in the Lok Sabha the Congress Party has still not reconciled with facts and circumstances and not readied to introspect and effort to know as to why people rejected them .Why did not the over used and over spent secular card help them in any way? The continuous barbs and accusations coupled with rhetoric of flawed Gujarat model, all designed to pin down Modi, did not convince the electorate. Their associate called Aam Aadmi Party declared an all out war against the projected Prime Minister more than the Party so much so that with a long list of “omissions and commissions”, the Chief of that Party, all in the burst of “Inqalab Zindabad” wanted an on the spot explanation and perhaps seeking a pardon for those assumed omissions from Modi right from his office instantaneously without seeking his prior appointment. A strange type of drama was enacted, all in the name of and for the sake of the “suffering masses” and to redeem them of that man but in vain after he had proved an economic and political “redeemer” of Delhi residents in just 49 days. He was not dismayed though, as he got what he wanted, his immediate ambition, his pastime and his objective – the media coverage. Our electronic media is also liberal and non frugal in not only covering these politically motivated stunts but broad minded in repeatedly airing them for showing milk distinct from water.
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the chief of AA Party owes too much to the media, especially the electronic media. His top priority to mop up all his efforts and put in all avenues coupled with employing means, fair or otherwise, to defeat the “biggest danger to India” in and around Varanasi seeking blessings of many old and young clergy from whichever mosque or Dargah he could manage. In this assignment, he saw to it that even his ally, the Congress Party was outpaced and outwitted as that secular Party had got a directive issued through the Imam of Jama Masjid Delhi for Muslims to vote for that Party and see that the “secular vote did not get split.” See how the two “secular” parties, one with a long history and definitely a chequered one till the era of Indira Gandhi and the other with a short history of days, cobbled together against one individual in Varanasi , not to speak of other opponents but still it proved all futile.
See the similarity of the chiefs of both the Parties not resigning their posts owning moral responsibility for getting vanquished so miserably in elections .At least, one did it for the sake of formality for a few moments but the other did not do this much even, excepting hunting for moments to get TV publicity and lo – he got it via Gadkari court case, not respecting the Court’s directive to get freedom but insisted to taste the air of Tihar jail to stage “a political coup detente” after frantically attempting to reviving the lien of his government in Delhi which failed as the “big ally” ultimately did not oblige him. However, the Congress party does not appear to be going in introspection but trying to suppress the criticism of the leadership of Rahul Gandhi who was projected as the face of the Congress Party so much so that Dr. Manmohan Singh had expressed his willingness to work under him as he was “the most capable person” in his calculations despite visible hiatuses in his handling UP elections followed by the December’ 13 Assembly elections of 4 states. The ground realities have thrown tangible alternatives especially for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to shun “conventional” reticence and learn politics of leadership or quit politics for good. There is no third option. Food security , MGNREGA, RTI, secularism, liberal subsidies, reservations for more groups of societies and minorities etc were all going to pay no dividends. The Party which led UPA 2 hobbled by scams and found wanting in taking decisions of national importance has to go a long way to refurbish and rebuild its scattered base. The same is true of its allies or the ones who broke away from it only to work with it at one time or the other.
There are again certain disgruntled persons reacting to the new change with spreading hate and spewing venom, menacingly inciting sections of societies which must be discouraged with all the might of the government. A hate speech in response to the election results by MIM leader Asad-ud-Din Owasi was watched on TV Channels which he delivered recently in Hyderabad, the contents of which are better to be severely and strongly condemned rather than reproducing even in a small part in these lines. Spitting on sky or punching the blowing wind agreeably are actions symptomatic of unsound mind but need proper treatment before the same turns into a chronic malaise. Likewise, brutal killing of a person in Pune who ventured to post avoidable material on face book is not only reprehensible but must be met with a strong legal action against the culprits.
There shall now definitely be an era of truer secularism, an inclusive caravan marching to progress and growth in our country and a slight renaissance of the neglected culture of India which needs to be valued. An era of remembering those heroes of our political and cultural movements is likely to dawn which remained neglected so far due to petty political ends. Removing plaques of luminaries of the mass movement resisting the British oppression and colonial rule from historical Indian prisons disregarding the sentiments of millions too has cost the Congress and those who had an election journey with it in the recent polls. Congress has now even not emerged as the main opposition Party in the Lok Sabha. Let it introspect and learn from its mistakes, most of which appeared to have been committed deliberately.
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