The results are out. The people have rejected the loudmouths, those who want India a permanent conflict zone. I have said many times, our political parties have not been able to tap the wider dissatisfaction on the ground.
The Congress has performed well but more than that it is the people who gave a kick to those who dominantly want to thirst a Ram Temple agenda, gaumutra to the people when they were demanding jobs, education and land reforms.
People got bored with the sluggishness of the results but that is the trend. I can bet, it is going to happen in the Lok Sabha polls too and we will now have the results out in two days as used to happen during physical voting process when EVMs were not there. The reason is clear that those who have enjoyed power, would not like to leave it that easily and hence they make every effort to pressurise the officials. Madhya Pradesh has been a case where these laws were violated.
The victory for Congress is huge and the credit must go to #RahulGandhi, the Congress President, who along with his mother were mocked, humiliated and insulted by the absolutely communalised, brahmanised and corrupted media. The anchors let the saffron goondas speak whatever they wish on their shows. A new trend started after Modi came to power. The prime time shows would invite one leader from Congress, one for BJP, one for VHP or Sangh, one Sanghi journalist or one ‘neutral’ expert with sympathies to Sangh. The anchors played the role of a propandists of Sangh Parivar. The vicious campaign that they launched, created divisions, communalised the entire campaign need to be studied. It does not matter whether the party win with one seat or two but what is important is that despite this propaganda added with enormous money power, the BJP lost and their defeat is significant, a signal that the coming days the people are going to settle the issue themselves.
Despite the fact of the gravity of the economic crisis, Narendra Modi and his advisers continued to harp on Ram Mandir and the liar of the Sanghs are speaking on the TV debate that it was not a political issue. It is a cultural issue for them. Who has given them authenticity to speak for Hindus. Yogi Adityanath became a joke as he cant give a single example of good governance of his government and BJP making him a role model because BJP and Sangh do not believe in governance but in dividing society, deeply injecting the poison.
We are happy that the BSP, CPM and other parties too have performed well in Chhattishgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. For a longer term, I would advise and had always advised an all India alliance between BSP and Congress. It is the need of the hour. You can go and do whatever you wish after 10 years but please do come together. The situation in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan would have been starkly different where the winning margins are less than a thousand votes in many constituencies.
Yesterday’s press conference of Rahul Gandhi was definitely refreshing of a leader whose time has arrived now. He remain humble and important for him to keep this permanent, carry the opposition and all the like minded parties along with you. Congress leaders have a habit of forgetting the ground realities once they are in power. It is time Congress send the message to their karyakartas that the the battle is not won yet and unless they unite opposition and dislodge the current hate regime, they wont sit ideally.
I wont go into debate as who would and should become chief ministers as it is their party prerogative but we hope that the party will not dilly delay the probes against mob lynching. The party need not to look appeasing any one but just follow the rule of law. We do understand the dynamics of democratic polity but we want Congress and all other parties to adhere to rule of law and do not allow any citizen of the country to feel left out.
Congress has not uttered a word on Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims. I know Congress continue to talk about ‘garib’ and ‘Kisans’. I can understand that the party want to play safe but we want to ask this question that we know these public realities but please ensure that your government act honestly and do not play dirty games. We hope your governments will take stringent action against the cow terrorists. You need not to say anything but we know the Hindutva machinery will start playing the games of Muslim appeasement. Only an ideologically clear leadership can take these goons head on. Congress can learn a few lessons from Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala and his handling of various issues created by the Sangh Parivar to vitiate the social harmony in the state through their sabarimala game plan. Congress need to fight the Sangh on ideological ground and it can do that following the path of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Jawahar Lal Nehru as well as EVR Periyar and others. We have a great legacy of Jyoti Ba Phule, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rahul Sankrityayan and many others. Nothing wrong in evoking these names in the greater interest of all. Those who dont learn from history, cant move ahead. No need for a Mahagathbandhan. Important that Congress need to stitch alliances at local level and give space to smaller parties and social movements. Dont get carried away by your success.
For the day, greetings to all. It is a morning of great hope for a nation which had got depressed in the past few years. The challenge is not yet over but all the parties must keep the momentum till the elections 2019 and defeat the forces of hatred and division in our society.
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
December 12th, 2018
