Author: Rajesh Singh
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 9, 2011
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/344499/Intolerant-Congress-angry-India.html
While the Union Government's strong-arm actions
are designed to frighten dissenters into submission, it is equally true that
they are born of mounting panic. If the Government cracks down further, it
could trigger a huge mass revolt that will be quietened only by the Congress's
exit from power. On the other hand, if the Government allows the protests
to grow bigger, the movement will force it become accountable and transparent
which it can't afford
The gloves are off. The Union Government,
backed by the Congress, has launched an open assault on dissent in the country.
Leaders of 'civil society' movement against growing corruption in public office
and hoarding of black money abroad by influential Indians are being systematically
targeted to shut them up. It is not Emergency yet, but the Government's recent
high-handed actions - and the Congress's vituperative statements - remind
us of the blackest days of our democracy when the dictatorially-minded Indira
Gandhi unleashed the state's might to intimidate the opposition physically
and psychologically.
Both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress
president Sonia Gandhi seem to revel in being projected as acting 'tough'
against 'blackmail' by the 'self-appointed' civil society leaders, but they
would well to remember the fate their party and leader suffered in the post-Emergency
election. The people cannot be suppressed forever.
The brutal police crackdown on Baba Ramdev
and hundreds of his followers in the middle of the night at the Ramlila grounds
in New Delhi is a good example of the growing arrogance of the Union Government.
There was absolutely no provocation for the security personnel to burst tear
gas shells, beat up the men and women who had gathered peacefully to be part
of the yoga guru's protest against black money, deport the leader out of Delhi,
and declare that he could not enter the capital for the next 15 days. The
blatant act was powered by the belief - promoted by hawks like Union Minister
Kapil Sibal - that strong measures such as these alone could rein in the growing
protests. Unfortunately for the Government and the Congress, these actions
tend to have just the opposite impact of strengthening the resolve of protesters
and adding numbers to their rank.
Indeed, the Ramdev episode has galvanised
public opinion cutting across ideological lines. Not only did political parties
from the Right to the Left condemn the police action, but even 'civil society'
leaders seen as apart bonded together after the incident. Anna Hazare, who
is leading the drive for an effective Lok Pal Bill and who was supposedly
not too enthusiastic over the manner in which the spiritual leader was conducting
his campaign, came out in open support and lashed out at the Government for
the atrocity. He questioned the intention of the UPA regime, skipped a meeting
on the Bill and sat on a day's hunger strike at Rajghat. On his part, the
Baba, barred from Delhi, extended his whole-hearted support to the Gandhian
for the hunger strike.
While the Union Government's strong-arm actions
- without doubt dictated or at least endorsed by the Congress high command
- are designed to frighten the dissenters into submission, it is equally true
that they are a result of panic. The Congress-led UPA regime is caught in
a cleft-stick. If it cracks down further, it could trigger a huge mass revolt
that will be quietened only with its exit. But if the Government allows the
protests to grow bigger, the movement could well render fruitless its plans
of keeping accountability and transparency in governance to a minimum. A mind
that is in desperation cannot think clearly and latches on to even the most
outrageous suggestion in the vain hope of emerging out of the mess.
Of course, despite the hard-sell by the hawks
most sane elements within the Government and the Congress have realised that
the gung-ho strategy has boomeranged. This has led to a scramble among some
leaders to keep a distance from it. It goes without saying that the first
to be protected should be Ms Gandhi. As the public outrage over the Baba's
violent eviction from Delhi grew, Ms Gandhi's camp leaders let it be known
to the media that Madam had not been kept entirely in the loop and that the
party itself had had little to do with the eviction. Senior leaders like Mr
Anil Shastri condemned the crackdown. There is a pattern to the clarification.
In the past too, whenever something went wrong,
the Congress was quick to de-link Ms Gandhi with the decision, while it credited
her 100 per cent for decisions that went well with the people. In the instant
case, though, there is still confusion. While the party says it had nothing
to do with the police action against Baba Ramdev, Mr Sibal has categorically
stated that the party and the Government are on the same page on the issue
and that there has been complete coordination between the two on the crackdown.
Having failed to douse the protests, the Congress-led
Government's dirty tricks department is working overtime to dig up dirt on
the 'civil society' leaders in a bid to discredit them. The Enforcement Directorate
is reportedly investigating Baba Ramev's business empire, with an aim to somehow
nail him. Suddenly the Government seems to have woken to the realisation that
the yoga guru could be engaged in irregularities. In a replay of the present
situation, senior Congress leaders had questioned Anna Hazare's integrity
after he announced his movement for a strong Lok Pal Bill. They demanded to
know the source of funds for his NGO, and insinuated that he had engaged in
covert financial deals. None of it was, of course, substantiated, but it was
never supposed to be. The purpose was to somehow divert attention from the
crucial issues raised by the 'civil society' leader.
And, even if some of the charges finally stick,
the credibility of the Union Government is so low today that, however much
it may try it cannot redeem itself by dragging other reputations down. It
promised concrete action against money hoarders but ended up cracking down
on those who were demanding precisely such action. It assured to work closely
with Anna Hazare's team for the creation of a strong Lok Pal Bill but is now
determined to push through weak provisions that will keep nearly all of the
senior functionaries in the Government including the Prime Minister, out of
the proposed legislation's ambit. Enough is enough. The people cannot be fooled
any more.
