The Indian National Congress celebrated its 125th Foundation Day on December 28, 2009. This is unprecedented in the annals of world political history. It is a truly historic event, that in any country in the world, any political party would be successfully celebrating its 125th birthday, and it is a matter of great pride for every member of the Congress to be a part of such a historic party, with a rich legacy of 125 years.
The Indian National Congress is undoubtedly the largest, and, possibly, the oldest political party in the world, with a mass membership that quite possibly exceeds the population of several small countries. And yet, this is not the only unique dimension of the Indian National Congress. The history of the Congress Party is inextricably intertwined with the history of the Indian independence movement, and hundreds of leaders and foot soldiers of the party had the honour to stand at the frontlines of the exceptional struggle for our country’s independence from British rule. Exceptional because, once again, in the annals of world political history no other country or nation has fought for and obtained its independence without warfare and weapons. Exceptional because the entire struggle for freedom was based upon the foundation of truth and moral authority, and the creed of non-violence symbolized by the mighty power of the example of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Little wonder then that the name of Mahatma Gandhi resonates even today in the context of peace, and moral values in the world order.
The Congress and its leaders were born from the strong moral values and sacrifice of the freedom movement, and it is this spirit of service and dedication to the nation which informs the philosophy of the Indian National Congress until today. From the battle for freedom, the Congress led the country in the task of nation building under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, and, during that golden period, the Congress dedicated itself to the ideal of a welfare state, the commanding heights of the public sector, and an India determined to come out of the wounds of Partition, as also the shadow of colonial rule and take her rightful place in the comity of nations. Under Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Congress reiterated its foundation of morality and ethics, and continued to dominate the Indian political landscape.
Then began a period in our political history, when elections to state legislatures were won by some political parties, and from being the party in government, the Congress moved to occupy the Opposition space in some states. But soon Indira Gandhi dominated the national political scene and towered over all other leaders, with her fiery determination and commitment to the poor. “Garibi hatao” became the slogan of the Congress Party, both within the country and at international fora. Whether it was the Non-Aligned Movement or the creation of Bangladesh, the abolition of privy purses or nationalization of banks, the Congress under Indira Gandhi found a lasting place in the hearts and minds of people. The poor of our country, the women, the dalits, and tribals, the disadvantaged all over the country, felt that Indira Gandhi would look after them and protect their interests. All over the country, it was the Congress alone which was the party in government, or the leading Opposition party.
The traumatic death of Indira Gandhi saw a generational shift in the Congress, and our country’s youngest ever Prime Minister was sworn into office. Soon he led the Congress to a spectacular victory. Then began the era of youth, of redefining the role of the Congress in the modern world and taking India into the 21st century. With refreshing idealism, which refused to be dampened by vested interests or nay-sayers, Rajiv Gandhi introduced to the party, and the nation, computers, technology, efficient delivery, and, above all, the concept of transparent, accountable politics. His steadfast idealism saw the impossible happen. Power was devolved for the first time, in a real sense, to the level of local government. Also for the first time, dalits and tribal and women were given a share of decision-making and a space on the political horizon by the reservation of seats for them in local bodies.
Sonia Gandhi took over the reins of the party years after the assassination of her husband, and in the face of great pessimism expressed by parties opposed to the Congress. The Congress itself was numb and traumatized by the death of Rajiv Gandhi, and many wondered if the grand old party would be able to fight its way out of the vacuum caused by the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, who had been a leader acceptable not just to the entire Congress party, but to every Indian, cutting across barriers of geography, economics, caste and creed. In the 10 years Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has led the party, the Congress has virtually gone from triumph to triumph, emerging once again as the only party with a truly pan-Indian presence, in government or the leading Opposition in every state in India. More importantly, the Congress has once again moved with the needs of the time and has fashioned itself, under the leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, into a party committed to the welfare and upliftment of the most disadvantaged sections of Indian society, party committed to inclusive growth, to democracy, to accountability and to a strong self-reliant India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been the pride of the party with his shining integrity and quiet dedication. The Congress represents every section of our society, including youth and women, and the iconic leadership of Rahul Gandhi has been tremendously instrumental in taking the message of the Congress to the youth of India.
The year 2009 was another landmark for the Congress. It was widely expected that anti-incumbency would ensure that the Congress did not come back to power at the Centre, and indeed, in recent times, very few governments have won a second term at the national level. However, the steadfast commitment to inclusive growth, particularly schemes such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Right to Information Act, won huge trust and support from the people of India. Further, as any political observer could see, the electorate was tired of the hollow jargon-type electioneering followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, and certainly did not believe in Lal Krishna Advani’s promises of good and decisive governance. Also, the Congress, under the leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Dr Singh, presented the much more satisfying prospect of good governance. The true achievement, however, lay in the revival of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s repeated forays into the heartlands of Uttar Pradesh, his candid engagement of ordinary people, his transparent commitment to ensure democracy within the party, and good governance, saw the Congress winning back in substantial measure the trust of the people of Uttar Pradesh. To me, it is an important signal that the days of polarizing and identity-based politics may not be fully history, but the success of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s idealism signals a new watershed.
The challenges ahead are many. In a country like India, there is always the temptation to try the gimmickry of narrow electoral appeal and populist politics to win elections. Democracy within the party and accountability to the public, as well as making inclusive development electoral planks, may not bring gains in the short term. But, if anything, it is clear, that the Congress has stood the test of time. With our historic legacy, and mature leadership, infused now by the idealistic and transparent appeal of youthful leaders like Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the Congress now towers head and shoulders over other formations. The Congress also has the ability to build patiently, and wait for results.The achievements of the Congress are manifold, and self-evident. The challenges facing the party are the same as any that might face any mass-based political organization, but these challenges appear relatively minor in the face of the strength of the party and the vision of the leadership of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. Above all, the tremendous moral authority of her single act of declining the office of Prime Minister has raised her leadership to heights that can never be achieved by other leaders, and invests her leadership with particular resonance. And the greater the heights achieved by the Congress, the greater will its commitment be to the service of the nation.
