So-called Followers of the Constitution

No other Party has insulted Secularism and the Constitution as much as the Congress has

“I am a follower of the Constitution and not a devotee of Shriram”, boasted Priyank Kharge, Congress Minister in Karnataka. This is his rage against Hindu Deities in the name of enhancing his secular image.

Since the early 1980s, Indian politics has revolved around the word ‘Secularism’. If someone would have asked about one criteria of a successful politician, the political pundits of the time would say – ‘Be it a politician, a gangster, an educated individual or an entrepreneur, he should be secular for sure’. Congressmen followed this belief to the core.

It is the Congress that introduced secularism in Indian politics. It started with Nehru. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi fuelled it when they were Prime Ministers. Secularism in the Congress reached its zenith when Sonia Gandhi ruled the Congress. Congressmen were so plagued by this craving that when the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s hidden Hindutva came to the fore, Congressmen deserted him.

It so happened that on 6^th December 1992, when the Babri structure was being demolished, Narasimha Rao was performing puja. While his colleagues were shouting that the Babri structure is being demolished, Narasimha Rao ignored them and the structure collapsed.

There are different opinions on the veracity of this incident; however, it left a stain on Narasimha Rao’s ‘secular’ image and he could not erase it till the end.

Narasimha Rao was instrumental in bringing the Congress out of the Gandhi family’s hold; but in the eyes of the Congressmen, his mistake cost him dearly not only when he was alive, but even after his death – he was not honoured according to official etiquette. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi refrained from paying tributes to him. Even today he is not given due respect. Why is this so ?

The Congressmen have always kept mum about the treatment given to Narasimha Rao; at other times, the same Congressmen give doses of ‘humanitarianism’ to Hindus. Anyway, the reason for bringing up Narasimha Rao’s incident and subsequent events is that Kharge and his party have a long tradition of secularism. Therefore, it is natural that not only Kharge, but almost all Congressmen are followers of the Constitution. The question is, which Constitution do they believe in ? The Constitution drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in which over 100 Amendments were made ? This Constitution has a picture of Deity Shriram on its first page. What does Kharge want to say about this ?

Kharge, who is a follower of the Constitution, must definitely be worshipping this book. Does he like the picture of Shriram in it when he worships the book ? There is no count of how many times these people, who consider themselves to be the saviours of the Constitution, have trampled on the principles of the Constitution. Therefore, this is precisely the time to tear the veil of so-called devotion to the Constitution that Kharge professes.

The direction of politics has changed

The direction of politics based on secularism changed in the real sense after the 2014 elections. With the dawn of 2024, the picture of Indian politics has completely changed. The time has come for the politicians who sang the glory of secularism to say, ‘Now without Shriram, there is no Ram (life) in politics’. The secular politicians have accepted that if they do not support hardcore Hindutva, they have to support soft Hindutva at least. This is why, Communists have visited Navratri mandals in Bengal. Besides, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi himself has said that he is a self-confessed Hindu. He visited many temples during the recent elections. If Rahul Gandhi can go to temples and bow before Hindu Deities, why is Kharge not doing the same ? Does it mean that there are differences among Congress leaders about Hindutva ?

After their defeat in the General elections of 2014, senior Congress leader AK Anthony had said that the Congress lost because of large scale appeasement of minorities. Apart from Anthony, no other Congress leader has so objectively examined the defeat of their Party. His recent statements should also be studied seriously by Congressmen. Anthony has said that if the BJP is to be defeated, the majority of Indian society should be engulfed by the Party. He has also indirectly criticised the policies of the Congress. He says, “It is alright with the Congress when minorities practice their religion; but if someone goes to a temple or applies tilak, he is termed a fanatic. These are not the right tactics”. Despite being a Christian, Anthony has pierced the framework of secularism and rebuked the Congressmen by pointing out the incorrect policies they advocate; but do the Congressmen, possessed by the ghost of secularism, have the time to correct these mistakes ?

Real secularists in Congress

If the Congressmen, who are the self-professed followers of the Constitution, had correctly followed the ideologies enumerated in the Constitution, the economic, social and cultural picture of not only Congress but entire India would have been different today.

Against this backdrop, we need to mention the name of Arif Mohammed Khan, the Governor of Kerala, who was once a senior Congress leader. He was opposed to Muslim Personal Law; however, he rejected the stance taken by the Congressmen to appease Muslims in the Shah Bano case and took a different path.

No other party has insulted secularism and the Constitution as much as the Congress has.

Hindus are well aware that the Congressmen neither worship Shriram nor the Constitution. This is precisely the reason why they have kept Congress away from power at the Centre. Even the recent Congress victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections was a culmination of the BJP Government’s incorrect policies; it was a defeat for the BJP than a victory for the Congress. Hence, Kharge, who is smitten with the victory in Karnataka, should stop making such statements. They will for sure do him no good; rather cause him immense political harm.

Be it a politician, a gangster or an entrepreneur, he should be secular for sure. Congressmen followed this belief to the core !