REWIND
New Delhi, 20 April 2023
CREDIBILITY MORE THAN
CROWDS
By Inder Jit
(Released on 1
December 1987)
The Opposition parties
are astir once again --- both at the national and regional levels. Fresh
concerted efforts are on to forge unity and provide a credible alternative to
the Congress-I. The General election is, no doubt, still two years away. But
the period is not too long if the Opposition is to come together well and truly
and give the ruling party a good, meaningful fight. Additional stimulus has
been provided for the current spurt of activity by continuing talk of a
mid-term poll, notwithstanding strong denial of any such move by Mr. Rajiv
Gandhi. As on more than one occasion in the past, the lead at the national
level has been taken by the Janata Party. Its National Executive met in New
Delhi last week and decided to try again for unity --- this time greatly
encouraged by the formation of the Jan Morcha and the emergence of its leader,
Mr. Vishwanath Pratap Singh, as a new factor and, indeed, a new force in
India’s national affairs. Few today enjoy as much credibility in the popular
mind as he does. In fact, many of his close colleagues even see him as another
JP in the making.
Simultaneously,
efforts have been initiated by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party of Goa to
forge unity among the regional parties and evolve a national consensus in the
form of a “federal body”. A convention of like-minded regional parties has been
called at Panaji over the coming weekend. Prominent among those invited to
attend are the Telugu Desam Party, the Asom Gana Parisad, the DMK, the
Jharkhand Party and the Gorkhaland National Liberation Front. Like the parties at the national level, the MGP and other
regional parties feel that they need to do something urgently to save the
country from the spreading rot of “rampant corruption, communalism,
administrative injustice, parochialism and economic imbalance.” Interestingly,
these regional parties see “a supreme unifying force” binding all communities
in the country, overriding diverse cultures and regional hopes and aspirations.
The regional phenomenon, the MGP asserts, need not necessarily divide. Instead,
it could bring them together on the basis of shared ideals and the shared
demand for decentralization of economic and political power.
The decision on the
part of top Janata leaders --- Mr. Chandra Shekhar, Mr. R.K. Hegde and Prof.
Madhu Dandavate --- to renew efforts for unity among the Opposition parties has
been influenced mainly by the feeling that an ad hoc and haphazard approach
will not do. In fact, Prof. Madhu Dandavate told me: “We have needlessly wasted
some ten months in the process.” He and the other Janata leaders are equally
clear that any attempt to bring about a merger of the Opposition parties in the
present circumstances is “a waste of time”. Nothing could have been better for
the Opposition (and the country than unification under one party, as envisaged
by the Janata Party’s National Conference at Patna early in 1984 when the
general election began looming large on the horizon. But then not many were
prepared to put self before country and give up their individual identity. Now
efforts are proposed to be made to work for unity through joint action on
agreed issues and programmes, as was done by JP through his Jan Sangharsh
Samiti prior to the Emergency. The Samiti could be revived or a new Lok
Sangharsh Samiti formed.
Some preliminary
discussions have been held on the formation of the Samiti which, according to
Prof. Dandavate, could lead to “more enduring unity”. The Samiti will be
promoted jointly by the Janata Party and the Jan Morcha. Some of the areas for joint
action have been identified broadly in informal discussions between Mr. Chandra
Shekhar, Mr. Hegde and Prof. Dandavate on the one hand and Mr. V.P. Singh and
his colleagues on the other. Top emphasis is being placed on the battle against
corruption in high places, as symbolished by the Bofors bribes and the
submarine scandal. True, the two deals are no longer dominating the proceedings
of Parliament or the front pages of newspapers. But it is wrong to think that
all is over. Sweden’s Special Public Prosecutor has yet to submit his findings.
His eagerly-awaited report, which is expected in a month or two, could trigger
off new explosions against the backdrop of one basic fact: massive commissions
have been admittedly paid by Bofors for the deal. Significantly, the Swedish
media now calls the payments “bribes”.
Happily for the Jan
Morcha and the Opposition parties, Mr. V.P. Singh continues to have a clean
image. Determined efforts on the part of the Congress-I to push him into the
dock and sully his image have failed so far. Some of his known adversaries are
now pinning hopes on the findings of the Fairfax probe, whose conduct has
caused not a few eyebrows to be raised. However, Mr. V.P.Singh is not losing
his sleep over what the report may say. As he told me some time back, “I have
committed no wrong. My hands are clean and my conscience is clear.” Meanwhile,
the bold and appropriate decision of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr.
N.T. Rama Rao, to appoint a three-member Commission of Inquiry, headed by Mr.
Justice R.N. Agarwal, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, into charges of
corruption against his son-in-law, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, has come as a great
relief to the Opposition leaders. It has also helped the Opposition’s image and
its declared mission. Importantly, Mr. Justice Agarwal is respected for his
independence and probity --- and suffered for it during the Emergency.
Great emphasis is also
proposed to be laid by the Opposition for its demand for electoral reforms
without further delay, steps to curb inflation, provision of remunerative
prices to farmers and decentralization of political and economic power. (Much
of the trouble and tension between the Centre and the States stem from
over-centralisation in New Delhi.) Not many in the Congress-I seem to realize
that the rise in prices, which continues to hit the standard of life of most
people, is largely responsible for the popular anger against corruption,
especially in high places. As some visitors from rural U.P. put it the other
day: “Corruption is not new to India. Nor is it new to the Congress-I rule or
to the rule by the Opposition parties. However, our people are now beginning to
react sharply when they see the ruling classes un-affected and unbothered by
the price rise and living it up ostentatiously. Corruption then begins to be
noticed pointedly and starts hurting. More and more people are now talking of
corruption in high places and demand stern action…”
Moves are expected to
be made soon for sounding various parties for active involvement in the new
Sangharsh Samiti. Most Janata leaders continue to have reservations about the
BJP. But they are clear that both the Lok Dals, led by Mr. Ajit Singh and Mr.
H.N. Bahuguna respectively, must be brought in actively. There is no gainsaying
the fact that the Lok Dal (B) showed its great cropper. However, the Janata
leaders feel that the Lok Dal, led by Mr. Ajit Singh, son of Charan Singh,
cannot be written off. The recent visit of the leaders of the Janata Party and
the Jan Morcha to Saharanpur showed that Mr. Ajit Singh enjoys considerable
popularity in Western U.P., which continues to hold their departed Chaudhri in
high esteem. Efforts are, therefore, expected to be launched soon by Mr.
Chandra Shekhar and Mr. V.P. Singh to help the two Lok Dals to overcome mutual
antagonism and not oppose the active involvement of each other in any plan for
joint action.
Both the Janata and
the Jan Morcah leaders appear confident of mobilising mass support for their
demand and mission. At one stage, Mr. Chandra Shekhar was inclined to adopt a
low profile in the creation and functioning of the proposed Sangharsh Samiti
lest he and Mr. V.P. Singh were wrongly accused of spearheading the Rajput
cause. But the Janata Chief has now been persuaded to play an active role.
Unknown to most people, Mr Chandra Shekhar has come to enjoy considerable
popularity among the minority communities --- especially the Muslims and the
Sikhs. During a recent visit to Varanasi, thousands of Muslims lustily shouted zindabaad
for the Janata Chief even as they chanted murdabaadagainst one of the
Muslim MPs accompanying him. The Janata Party and the Jan Morcha also hope to
mobilize massive support among the Harijans and other backward classes with the
help of Mr. Ram Dhan, the General Secretary of the Morcha. Certain differences
between Mr. Chandra Shekhar and Mr. Ram Dhan led to the parting of ways last
year and the latter’s return to the Congress-I. But the differences are now
said to have been patched up and the old camaraderie restored.
What the Opposition
leaders might succeed in doing eventually is in the lap of the Gods. One thing alone
seems fairly clear. The overall situation in the country has moved considerably
in their favour during the past one year. The nation’s honeymoon with the young
and charismatic Rajiv seems to be over. the people are now awake and demanding.
But this by itself will not help the Opposition or the Sangharsh Samiti. Our
people want a straight answer to a straight question: Who is the Opposition’s
answer to Mr. Gandhi? Alas, personalities are beginning to count more than the
parties in free democracies as shown by the remarkable case of Mrs. Margaret
Thatcher. Ultimately, nothing will work unless the Opposition and its leaders
are able to win back popular credibility, which suffered grieviously after 1977
and led to the collapse of the Janata. The Opposition will have to name (or
draft) a leader before too long. NTR first, next Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, then the
Akali Dal and finally the AGP in Assam have shown the miracle that can be
wrought, given the people’s love and confidence. Credibility counts a lot more
than unity --- and the crowds!—INFA
(Copyright, India News
& Feature Alliance)
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