Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad courted more controversy on the day that polls for the third round of the Lok Sabha elections were being held by advocating for Muslim quota, saying that they "should be done now."
By doing this, the head of the RJD provided Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a chance to reiterate his accusation that the Opposition seeks to appropriate the reservations held by Muslims and Dalits. Modi, predictably, seized the chance without wasting any time. He poked fun at Lalu Prasad during a public rally in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, claiming that a leader who is free on bail and accused of a "fodder scam" is supporting Muslim reservations.
The statement made by the former chief minister of Bihar has given the reservation issue, which has sparked a contentious debate between the Congress and the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections, more contexts. At the rally, PM Modi declared, "They can't see anything beyond appeasement now. If they come to themselves, they will also take your breath right away."
Since the Opposition Congress unveiled its election manifesto, the prime minister has accused the party of engaging in appeasement politics. It is now evident that the concerns voiced by the BJP and Prime Minister Modi are entirely justified. The Muslim reservation genie has emerged from the INDI alliance lamp and is visible in the sky all the way from the plains of Ganga to the south. What's important to note about Lalu Prasad's statement is that when asked a serious question concerning the Muslim community, he responded, "Yes, Muslims should have "poora ka poora reservations!" It became evident that they intended to take the SC, ST, and OBC reservationsquotas in order to grant reservations to the Muslim minority.
In the relentless pursuit of political dominance, the Congress party and its allies in India seems to have embarked on a perilous path—one marred by the divisive tactics of appeasement politics. As the corridors of power remain elusive, the party, led by the influential Gandhi family, appears increasingly desperate, resorting to strategies that threaten to fracture the very fabric of Indian society.
For decades, the Congress party has been synonymous with power and governance in India. With a storied history and a deep-rooted connection to the nation's independence movement, the party once commanded unwavering loyalty and support. However, the winds of change have swept through the political landscape, relegating Congress to the opposition benches, where it now languishes in frustration and resentment.
Faced with the harsh reality of electoral defeat and the loss of privileges that come with power, Congress finds itself at a crossroads. Instead of introspection and reinvention, it has chosen the path of appeasement—a path fraught with peril not only for the party but for Indian society as a whole.
Appeasement politics, by its very nature, seeks to placate certain groups or communities in exchange for political support. In the case of Congress, this has often manifested in pandering to religious or caste-based sentiments, promising concessions and favors in a bid to curry favor with targeted voting blocs. However, while this strategy may yield short-term electoral gains, its long-term consequences are deeply troubling.
The recent manifesto prepared by Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections serves as a stark reminder of the party's misguided priorities. Laden with promises of preferential treatment and special privileges for certain communities, the manifesto reeks of opportunism and short-sightedness. Instead of focusing on policies that uplift all Indians, regardless of caste, creed, or religion, Congress has chosen to double down on its divisive tactics, further deepening the fault lines that threaten to divide the nation.
When Smt. Indira Gandhi ran for office in 1971, her catchphrase, "Garibi Hatao," inspired a strong response from the populace, and the Congress was handily elected to power. Later, the entire country witnessed personally how Congress's "Garibi Hatao" promise was thwarted. Despite holding a sizable majority and controlling the government for an extended period of time, the Congress utterly failed to alleviate poverty. However, those in positions of authority within the Congress, those holding elected office, and representatives of the people all overcame poverty much earlier than the underprivileged, who continued to live in ever-deeper poverty.
The Congress put up numerous programmes for the impoverished during its rule, yet the poor never benefited from them. The "dalals" and intermediaries, who were connected to Congress leaders or even the power structure, were the real winners of these schemes and amassed enormous fortune. The unpleasant reality that throughout their reign, funds designated for various social programmes never reached the poor and were instead embezzled through several gaps was known to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. During the centenary session, Rajiv Gandhi had publicly admitted that the poor were only receiving 15 paise for every Re.1 in government projects. Unfortunately, the leadership of Congress never expressed regret or a willingness to learn why poverty continued even when money was abundantly available for the schemes.
The present manifesto of Congress has once again rained promises on the impoverished. They neglected to give farmers prices that were in line with the expenses incurred in producing their crops for fifty-five years. Moreover, the Swaminathan Commission recommended that farmers receive the minimum support price while the Dr. Manmohan Singh government was in power from 2004 to 2014. However, the Singh administration rejected this notion, and none of them ever felt or said that they were guilty for not being able to ameliorate the lot of the farmers during their rule. However, the Congress leadership has promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations in the current manifesto.
The manifesto promises a lot for youth, women, and farmers, but it also demonstrates how far the Congress has gone in its "politics of appeasement." Minorities would be given the freedom to enact their own legislation, according to the manifesto. Recall that in the Shah Bano case in 1986, the Supreme Court declared that Muslim women will have the same access to alimony as women from other communities. At the time, the government was being criticised by hard-line Muslim organisations for taking this action. The then-Rajiv Gandhi government amended the constitution and rejected the court's ruling out of fear that the Congress would suffer if the government implemented the court's ruling.
The Congress is preparing to face the electorate once more under the guise of the Muslim League from before independence. Many common Muslim women who had told stories about the unfair practise of triple talaq later exhaled with pleasure at the announcement by the Modi government that this unjust practise had been discontinued. Every individual should have equal protection under the law, regardless of caste, religion, or faith, according to the fundamental principles of the Indian Constitution. However, because they are confident that they will not return to power, the leadership of Congress wants to disregard this fundamental principle and allow minorities to pick the laws.
Appeasement is like morphine. Give enough of it to anyone; they will not be able to live without it. In addition, it would also weaken the heart; affect the mind’s capacity to think straight. And when one has lived through generations with such a drug, it is hard to wean off. And if you plan to remove the morphine, they will begin to shout, demanding back the morphine. One doesn’t have a choice except giving them back. But Congress never intended of taking it back, they went on to give it to them more and more.
The morphine’s effects will remain, but only on the addicted ones. For the ones whom the morphine was never administered, they would continue to see both the addicted and the supplier as a disgrace.
One need not look far to see the dangers inherent in the politics of appeasement. By playing identity politics and stoking communal or caste-based tensions, Congress risks exacerbating divisions within Indian society, sowing seeds of mistrust and resentment that threaten to tear apart the delicate social fabric. Moreover, by prioritizing the interests of certain groups over others, the party risks alienating large segments of the population, further eroding its electoral base and diminishing its credibility as a truly inclusive and secular political force.
But the dangers of appeasement politics extend beyond the realm of electoral calculus. By fostering a culture of entitlement and victimhood, Congress risks perpetuating cycles of dependency and inequality, stifling the aspirations of millions of Indians who seek nothing more than equal opportunities and a level playing field. Moreover, by pandering to narrow sectarian interests, the party undermines the very ideals of pluralism and democracy upon which the Indian republic was founded, betraying the trust of those who look to it for principled leadership and statesmanship.
The implications of Congress' descent into the politics of appeasement are not limited to the realm of politics; they have far-reaching implications for the social and economic well-being of the nation. By prioritizing short-term electoral gains over long-term nation-building, the party risks squandering precious opportunities for progress and development, consigning future generations to a cycle of poverty and stagnation.
Indeed, the dangers of appeasement politics are all too real, and Congress would do well to heed the lessons of history. From the tragic partition of India in 1947 to the communal riots and violence that have scarred the nation's collective psyche, the perils of playing with fire in the name of political expediency are abundantly clear. If Congress truly wishes to reclaim its mantle as the standard-bearer of Indian democracy, it must reject the politics of appeasement and embrace a more inclusive and equitable vision for the nation.
But breaking free from the shackles of appeasement will not be easy. For too long, Congress has relied on identity politics and patronage to maintain its grip on power, and breaking old habits will require courage, conviction, and a willingness to put the interests of the nation above those of the party. It will require reaching out to all Indians, regardless of their background or beliefs, and offering a vision of hope and progress that transcends narrow sectarian interests.
In the final analysis, the choice before Congress is clear: continue down the path of appeasement, with all its attendant risks and consequences, or chart a new course—one guided by principles of equality, justice, and unity. The future of Indian society hangs in the balance, and the choices made by Congress in the coming days and months will shape the destiny of the nation for generations to come. The question is whether Congress has the wisdom and the courage to choose wisely.
By NILABH KRISHNA
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
Leave Your Comment