There was a time when many believed that the future of India
would be in the hands of Indian Communists while many well-wishers of Indian
leftists dreamt of a red letter day in the
history of Indian politics ie. the Communist Parties of India holding
the reins of power – a govt led by the Communist Party while as many apprehended
the consequences of a Communist rule in India. They were afraid of a situation
what all harm would be caused to the democratic fabric of India nurtured and
developed by the Grand Old Party of India – Indian National Congress and its
governments. Once upon a time, there was only a single party. Muslim league was
also there but it was a marginal force. The Indian National Congress, which
many believed, was the only hope of Indian citizens. As sands of time swept
away from under the feet of a generation, Indian National Congress’s hold on
power gradually declined not because of the fault of its supporters but because
of its leaders whose principles of honesty, integrity, patriotism and a good
governance were forefeited which led to the mushrooming of regional parties, and
a Communist party which was about to spread its influence across India and the
communal parties which did have a phenomenal growth which we had already
witnessed.
A single party rule came to an end as a consequence of which
the other parties, I mean mainly the regional parties, gained strength.
Communist Party too maintained a steady growth especially in South India and
the North East States of Bengal and Tripura. Communist Parties couldn’t make
much headway in the Northern belt, in other words, the Hindi belt even though
Northern States were fertile grounds for its steep growth. Caste politics
across North India did affect even the Indian National Congress. It is more
than enough to say that casteist politics obstructed the growth of leftist
parties and INC as well. Casteism at a critical juncture like this has turned
into a bane and each regional party in the Northern States are led by casteist leaders – various castes
grouped under various casteist leaders who promised heaven on earth to the
masses and still they continue to promise the illiterate and poor who constitute
a major percent in those States. Alarming illiteracy is the legacy left behind
by the Congress misrule for almost five decades. The National Party which with much
hubris declares even now the part played by it in achieving Independence. But
it hides one bitter truth, a naked truth, that is, a number of its leaders
turned selfish, greedy and corrupt whose only aims were robbing the country’s enormous
wealth. The moment when money came to play the upper hand, India’s decline
began. Now that corruption in every walk of life has flourished – we are
constrained to witness with impotent rage - the absence of a responsible Opposition
party to fight against the menace has emboldened the ruling party to rob off
the tax-payers’ money according to their will and pleasure. When a stark truth
is pointed out by a citizen there is no point in frowning upon him.
While the opposition parties like Bharathiya Janata Party
and Communist parties (now the splinter communist parties remind one of amoebic
growth) have turned crusaders against corruption without keeping their promises,
examples galore. For instance take Karnataka for example, there a “humble man”
Yeddyurappa after occupying the CM’s chair allegedly started the extortion
which eventually led him to jail and later freed on bail. The contemporary India
has not seen a power-monger like him, but is out of power now, so what, he is
playing the role of a king-maker, means if the reins of power are not restored
to him, whoever he chooses as his nominee must be appointed as the Chief
Minister and if his demands are not met by the BJP leadership he threatens his
party leadership with resignation along with his supporting MLAs, Ministers and
followers and will form a new party. Fearing such a possibility the leaders of
BJP who boast about their adherence to lofty principles and integrity – are ready
to meet his demands. Thus one Sadananda Gowda came first as his nominee who was
found unreliable later, he demanded the leadership to remove him from the post
and suggested another nominee, a man named Jagdish Shettar, once Yeddyurappa’s bet noire now on friendly terms is in the
saddle now. How is it possible for such a party, its locus standi, how come BJP dares to fight against the UPA men
looting the country? Something incomprehensible.
Communist parties and other leftists are no exception.
Instances are many. With the previous elections to the Assemblies and
Parliament of West Bengal and Kerala, their two strongholds, now their
decimation from Indian political scene is somewhat complete. Now the leftist
parties have evolved into parties which have only ‘leaders’ but without supporters.
Social activist Medha Patkar during her visit to Kerala two
days ago mentioned one naked truth and that truth is nothing but this: At a
critical point like this in Indian politics leftists have a cardinal role to
play but unfortunately a true leadership vaccum is very much obvious at
national level. All of us are aware about one thing. That corruption is being
extolled throughout India. That is the reason why the Indian electorate continue
to elect the tainted leaders. The issue of deep rooted corruption never bothers
our poor electorate. It has developed into a way of life in our country. Many
even deifying it.
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