"Power without Accountability and Control without Public Position" - this is the motto that the current Indian National Congress (led by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi) has followed over the last decade.
When Mrs. Gandhi couldn't fulfill her ambition of becoming prime minister in 2004 - on intervention by then president APJ Abdul Kalam -she fielded the name of Dr. Manmohan Singh for the PM post.
Within a few years she realized, that the fact that she wasn’t PM was a blessing in disguise. She could control the government from her residence - 10 Janpath Road, take all the important decisions of the Government, meet high ranking cabinet officials and sometimes even discuss important public policies without directly involving Dr. Manmohan Singh! What's was better was that for any failure of the government, she WOULD NEVER be held accountable! After all, she wasn't the prime minister right?
And to top it all! All the (so called) "successes” of the UPA Government would be credited to her - and her son - with a small mention of the Prime Minister.
(If you don't believe me, take a look at any recent Congress ad, the first picture that strikes you will be that of Sonia Gandhi. A picture of Dr. Singh will be squeezed in somewhere in the corner).
When Mrs. Gandhi couldn't fulfill her ambition of becoming prime minister in 2004 - on intervention by then president APJ Abdul Kalam -she fielded the name of Dr. Manmohan Singh for the PM post.
Within a few years she realized, that the fact that she wasn’t PM was a blessing in disguise. She could control the government from her residence - 10 Janpath Road, take all the important decisions of the Government, meet high ranking cabinet officials and sometimes even discuss important public policies without directly involving Dr. Manmohan Singh! What's was better was that for any failure of the government, she WOULD NEVER be held accountable! After all, she wasn't the prime minister right?
And to top it all! All the (so called) "successes” of the UPA Government would be credited to her - and her son - with a small mention of the Prime Minister.
(If you don't believe me, take a look at any recent Congress ad, the first picture that strikes you will be that of Sonia Gandhi. A picture of Dr. Singh will be squeezed in somewhere in the corner).
As the explosive book - The Accidental Prime Minister - underlines, Manmohan Singh had become a mere "rubber stamp" Prime Minister, with all important decisions being taken by the Congress "High Command".
In effect, India was being ruled by a monarchy. The only exception being that the "dynasty" were back seat drivers who could deflect any mistake to the person in the front seat. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister had been reduced to only a ceremonial "de jure" head.
This attitude of "power without accountability" continued even after their total decimation in the elections. The Congress bootlicking sycophants talked about "collective responsibility", about "introspection", about "changing the structure of the Congress". However, they didn’t blame the “high command” even once.
Pragmatic minds within the Congress, who questioned the leadership of Rahul Gandhi (who by then had assumed de facto control over the congress), were immediately shot down. Some were fired, others were given stern warnings. Ha! So much for "empowerment" of people that Rahul Gandhi has so oft advocated.
Anyways, one would expect the Congress' bubble of arrogance to break. But no! Even after winning just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, this week they "DEMANDED" that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post be given to them. Congress leaders said that "it was a matter of ENTITLEMENT".
"Entitlement"? What are they talking about? The Constitution of India mandates that the LoP be given to a party that garners ABOVE 55 seats in the Lok Sabha. I know that certain people in the Congress are known for poor maths skills, but the "Harvard Educated” chelas should realize – and make their high command understand - that 44 is a whole lot lesser than 55 seats! And that, they are in no way "entitled" to get that post.
Secondly, there are two other parties - The AIDMK and The TMC - both within the range of Congress' 44 seats. If the Congress is "entitled" to be LoP then by similar logic, the AIDMK and TMC too have equal right to stake claim for the LoP.
Thirdly, in 1984 - when Rajiv Gandhi had an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha - he did not cede the LoP to anyone. Including the second highest party! This was a repeat of what the Congress did in 1971.
How dare a party that has a history of denying the LoP not once, but twice, take for granted that they of all people will be given the LoP post?
The arrogance in such statements disgusts me. I had heard about humility in defeat, but this is the first time I'm hearing such boisterous haughtiness in the face of defeat. If this has sickened you enough, wait, there's more! If the Congress does indeed get the LoP post, guess who will be LoP? No, it's not Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi. The LoP will be the unknown Mallikarjun Kharge!
In effect, India was being ruled by a monarchy. The only exception being that the "dynasty" were back seat drivers who could deflect any mistake to the person in the front seat. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister had been reduced to only a ceremonial "de jure" head.
This attitude of "power without accountability" continued even after their total decimation in the elections. The Congress bootlicking sycophants talked about "collective responsibility", about "introspection", about "changing the structure of the Congress". However, they didn’t blame the “high command” even once.
Pragmatic minds within the Congress, who questioned the leadership of Rahul Gandhi (who by then had assumed de facto control over the congress), were immediately shot down. Some were fired, others were given stern warnings. Ha! So much for "empowerment" of people that Rahul Gandhi has so oft advocated.
Anyways, one would expect the Congress' bubble of arrogance to break. But no! Even after winning just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, this week they "DEMANDED" that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post be given to them. Congress leaders said that "it was a matter of ENTITLEMENT".
"Entitlement"? What are they talking about? The Constitution of India mandates that the LoP be given to a party that garners ABOVE 55 seats in the Lok Sabha. I know that certain people in the Congress are known for poor maths skills, but the "Harvard Educated” chelas should realize – and make their high command understand - that 44 is a whole lot lesser than 55 seats! And that, they are in no way "entitled" to get that post.
Secondly, there are two other parties - The AIDMK and The TMC - both within the range of Congress' 44 seats. If the Congress is "entitled" to be LoP then by similar logic, the AIDMK and TMC too have equal right to stake claim for the LoP.
Thirdly, in 1984 - when Rajiv Gandhi had an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha - he did not cede the LoP to anyone. Including the second highest party! This was a repeat of what the Congress did in 1971.
How dare a party that has a history of denying the LoP not once, but twice, take for granted that they of all people will be given the LoP post?
The arrogance in such statements disgusts me. I had heard about humility in defeat, but this is the first time I'm hearing such boisterous haughtiness in the face of defeat. If this has sickened you enough, wait, there's more! If the Congress does indeed get the LoP post, guess who will be LoP? No, it's not Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi. The LoP will be the unknown Mallikarjun Kharge!
Again, this reeks of hypocrisy of the highest order. If the Congress had won, Rahul Gandhi would've definitely become PM. So, why shouldn't Rahul Gandhi become LoP if they lost? Don’t you feel a sense of déjà again? Isn’t this strongly reminiscent of what they did to Manmohan Singh? If the Congress gets the LoP post will they make a mockery out of a Constitutional important position again?
Well, there isn't any point arguing. The Congress isn't going to listen. The voices of the sycophantic spineless minions matter more to the "High Command".
And so, in the end, even after a seismic defeat, one thing remains unchanged- the control of Gandhi’s on their chelas. Well one must credit Sonia Gandhi for one thing; she – and her son – still have all the power and absolutely not accountability! Enviable ;)
- Tejas Mehta
Well, there isn't any point arguing. The Congress isn't going to listen. The voices of the sycophantic spineless minions matter more to the "High Command".
And so, in the end, even after a seismic defeat, one thing remains unchanged- the control of Gandhi’s on their chelas. Well one must credit Sonia Gandhi for one thing; she – and her son – still have all the power and absolutely not accountability! Enviable ;)
- Tejas Mehta