Two houses, alike in dignity

When in Fifties, Pandit Nehru visited London, there was a black flag demonstration against him by Indians. This was severely criticised by none other than MS Golwalkar, the then sarsanghchalak of the RSS saying it’s an act of treachery as our Prime Minister represents the whole of country. Did that spirit found any resonance?

A Congress is not hesitant to shake hands with a DMK, till recently the principal accused in their leader’s brutal assassination, invite an Indian Muslim Leaguer to join the government, get support from Communists who have not balked at using abusive language against Gandhi, Nehru and Subhash Bose. But the same Congress does not think that those who stand for nationalism and who governed the nation for six years under the same constitution are even ‘eligible’ for a warm hello. Congress leaders boycotted the birthday of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee in parliament while LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee regularly paid rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru on their anniversaries. Why shouldn’t be they seen together in each other’s sukh-dukh? Will the people stop voting them for this ‘sin’? Why can’t India’s development be the final, basic meeting point and whoever gets the majority moves ahead with his ideas and idealism taking along those who couldn’t make it in the electoral battle.

A good step by Manmohan Singh should be praised by Vajpayee and Advani’s support should be taken seriously by Sonia Gandhi. Keep your other points of disagreement and criticism alive, but treat Indians as fellows till they are seen working against the nation. Reforming judicial and administrative procedures, halting the march of corruption, helping the economy to grow, the list of issues demanding a collective push is endless. And we do have some shining examples to take a cue from. When the leader of Jana Sangh, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was asked post elections how many of his candidates have won, he simply replied, all those who have won are my candidates. Different party or ideology doesn’t mean the two camps should become implacable enemies. Upadhyay and socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia were good friends and together they issued a historic statement on Akhand Bharat. In 1962, Nehru’s government had invited RSS swayamsewaks to participate in the Republic Day parade in Delhi in full uniform and during 1965 war Shastri requested RSS cadres to help control traffic in Delhi, so policemen could be freed for defence duties.

During the 1971 Bangladesh war Jana Sangh leader Vajpayee praised Indira Gandhi and in Nineties PV Narasimha Rao sent a government delegation under him to represent India at a Geneva conclave on Kashmir.It’s no secret that RSS leader Bhaurao Deoras and PV Narsimha Rao were firm friends. Congressmen like Sardar Patel, Shastri, Tandon, Subhash Bose have all been praised by members of the Hindutva family. Gandhi visited the Wardha shakha, Vinoba Bhave once said he is a ‘non member’ member of the RSS, JP took all support from RSS and even praised it. Vajpayee nominated a senior Congressman to head a high level committee for China. Are these bad examples? The hate element in the Indian polity is a major contribution of the Communist movement that has always shared its dais and political space with a foreign organisation or ideology but has never been genuinely friendly with any Indian party.

It is an undeniable fact that the BJP and Congress have emerged as two distinct pan-Indian political poles. Together they can change the face of India dramatically and herald a new era of healthy democracy. The BJP’s description of Manmohan Singh, as the ‘weakest PM ever’ didn’t bring any gains. Dr Singh is working against tremendous odds and being praised globally. He makes us all proud. Conversely, to use cheap words against opponents and hurl chappals at portraits is not democracy. If nationalists can be comfortable with Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi, Farooq Abdullah (whose father was even accused of having conspired to ‘kill’ Shyama Prasad Mookerjee in Srinagar jail), and Mamata Bannerjee, nothing is impossible for the sake of a greater good of our own people.

The writer can be contacted at tarunvijay@vsnl.com