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archive: Congress culture

Congress culture

Arun Shourie
The Afternoon Despatch & Courier
May 28, 1999


    Title: Congress culture 
    Author: Arun Shourie
    Publication: The Afternoon Despatch & Courier
    Date: May 28, 1999
    
    "WITHOUT Sonia, the Congress is zero," declared a Congress leader when
    Sonia Gandhi resigned on May 17.   "We all feel orphaned," they all
    said.  The first element of Congress culture, therefore, remains - a
    commitment to truth.  
    
    And then there is sacrifice, the readiness, as they keep saying to lay
    down their lives for their leader.  Delhi Congressmen seized their
    geographical advantage.  They were the first to arrive round and about
    Sonia Gandhi's residence - on May 17 itself.  
    
    The Congress MLA, one Mukesh Sharma, described alternately as being
    close to the Chief Minister, Mrs.  Sheila Dikshit and Sajjan Kumar,
    declared that he was going on a fast unto death to persuade Sonia to
    take back her resignation.  Contingents started arriving. 
    Competitiveness was much in the air- who has been able to get to see
    her, how much time did she spend with whom....  Resolutions followed
    resolutions.  
    
    Even the super-secularist Hindu was less than overwhelmed.  "Not
    surprisingly, the current crisis is also being used to demonstrate
    loyalty to the leader - important when elections are around the
    corner," it noted.  "Since practically all state unit chiefs are Sonia
    appointees, the chorus of support and condemnation of the three CWC
    leaders for daring to question her legitimacy to rule the country
    follows the true Congress tradition...." 
    
    Innovative ways 
    
    May 18: "Makeshift tents came up on both sides of Akbar Road to
    accommodate the striking activists," reported The Asian Age. 
    "Agitated Congressmen, who tried to find out innovative ways to show
    their anguish, burnt effigies...." Once again the Delhi Congress
    Pradesh Committee was able to organise the biggest turnout, the paper
    said.  "The MLAs, who offered to resign, were on a relay hunger
    strike.  But the other Congressmen did not appreciate the concept of
    relay hunger strike.  
    
    'We do not believe in the relay thing.  We are on a continuous
    indefinite strike,' said former Andhra PCC president V.  Hanumanta
    Rao...." "The surprise of the day, however, was the Delhi legislator,
    Mukesh Sharma," The Asian Age reported.  "Mr.  Sharma was the first to
    go on hungerstrike on Monday.  But on Tuesday he was missing, even the
    local Congressmen were surprised at his disappearance." 
    
    "One tried to set himself ablaze, dozens shed tears, including Arjun
    Singh, twenty lay down on the road, hundreds fell at her feet, one MLA
    refused to let go [of her feet], thousands promised more," reported
    The Indian Express.  But as there had been no word from Sonia, the
    paper said, "youngsters decided to provide some action.  
    
    A bottle of kerosene oil in hand and tears in his eyes, a youth
    Congress worker screamed, 'I will immolate myself'.  All eyes, cameras
    turned towards him, the cops rushed to save him from himself. 
    Snatching away the bottle they firmly evicted him.  While he was being
    taken away, former National Students Union of India president Alka
    Kapur announced - to all who cared to hear - that this was no empty
    threat." 
    
    "The another batch hit the road - literally," the Express account
    continued.  "Twenty youth Congress workers lay down on the road
    covering themselves with party glory and Sonia posters.  Apparently
    fired by all this, senior party workers devised their own ways.  Every
    Congress worker, who could possibly resign, did...." The four chief
    ministers of Congress-ruled states topped the list of resigners.  
    
    The resignations conveyed one signal to those outside the party, and
    another one to those in it -- the two being encapsulated successively
    in two clauses of The Economic Times report that day: "The resignation
    spree, clearly designed to give an honourable route for Mrs. Gandhi to
    come back as the party president, signalled the total isolation of the
    rebels...." 
    
    "And those who could not resign," said The Indian Express, "pitched
    tents - separate one for each frontal organisation - and sat on hunger
    strike....  However, the odd one could be seen slipping away for some
    good old-fashioned lunch...." 
    
    The usual acrimony between netas and the wretched praja: "The leaders
    had started arriving around 2.30 p.m.  to register their presence,"
    reported The Pioneer.  "The Working Committee meeting was scheduled to
    start at 4 p.m.  They though it would be all over after a few rounds
    of slogan shouting....  The meeting got delayed....  The found
    themselves drenched in sweat by now....  Mineral water bottles were
    ordered.  This infuriated the workers who had been brought in
    tempos....  After much noise, and NDMC water truck arrived." 
    
    Mukesh Sharma had disappeared.  The contingent from Delhi was clearly
    dwindling.  Roster-duty was decreed.  MLAs accompanied by ministers
    will sit on relay-fast, the organizers announced.  The relay had but
    begun, and confusion broke out about the timings that each batch had
    to observe....  But soon an even greater threat loomed.  
    
    "When the Andhra Pradesh Congress State unit erected a shamiana just
    outside the AICC headquarters in the forenoon," reported The Pioneer,
    "the DPCC and Youth Congress workers went into a tizzy.  'We have no
    tent here, no banner.  How will Madam get to know that we are also
    here?,' some DPCC office-bearers were heard discussing.  
    
    And soon enough there sprang up a line of tents for works of the DPCC,
    YC, Sewa Dal, and umpteen other organisations...." The tents up, a new
    problem erupted: several of the leaders, the paper said, could not be
    traced in their respective tents.  "Meanwhile, an enterprising soul
    went one step ahead and surreptitiously pinned a banner of the UP
    Congress, proclaiming 'Salman Khurshid zindabad', on one side of the
    tent set up by the AP Congress unit.  
    
    The shrewd move was exposed only when...." The Times of India too
    noticed the fast evaporating.  "Even as eager hands reached out for
    the kulfis sold by a vendor," it reported on May 19, "a sharp
    reprimand was hurled through the sultry air: 'Don't eat in front of
    reporters.  
    
    The hands were quickly withdrawn.  City Congress leaders were of
    course not as 'indiscreet' as the activists....' "The 'fast' to start
    with was 'indefinite'.  Later it was turned into a 'relay hunger
    strike'....  But there was confusion about how long it would be before
    the next group took over.  Some said it was a six-hour shift.  Others
    said it was for twelve hours...." 
    
    Enterprising spirit 
    
    Even the participants were not uniformly impressed.  "All this is
    dramabazi, everyone wants to impress madamji,' said a Youth Congress
    activist," reported The Times of India, "even as he himself posed for
    some television cameras."By the next day, the range, variety, quantity
    of delicacies had multiplied: thanks to the spirit of enterprise the
    party has done so much to stimulate.  
    
    "On the food front," The India Express reported on May 20, "Om Prakash
    and his golgappas were the first to arrive.  Close on his heels was
    the bhelpuri man, the chana-masala mixer and the coconut man.  They
    did brisk pre-lunch business, and the word obviously got around...."
    "Lunch was topped off with desert.  
    
    The choice was between the different varieties of kulfi or ice
    cream...." But "if wasn't as if the supporters were just eating and
    drinking.  They were also cheering on the entertainment truck that
    drove up and down the road...."There were serious projects too:
    "Meanwhile," reported The Times of India that day, "Indian Youth
    Congress president Manish Tiwari threatened to take 'direct action'
    against the rebels.  
    
    While refusing to say what he would do, Mr.  Tiwari said: 'Just wait
    and see what happens when Mr.  Sangma reaches here on Thursday from
    the US."Blame-slinging was in full-swing.  The Pioneer quoted Delhi
    Congress leaders accusing their chief minister, Sheila Dikshit of
    "stunts to hog the limelight." The fast-unto death-or-disappearance of
    Mukesh Sharma was cited as one such stunt.  
    
    "The MLA's action was focused on garnering media spotlight," the paper
    quoted an MLA from outer Delhi saying.  "His messengers were in the
    newspaper offices much before the scene had heated up...." Far from
    going through with his fast unto death, Sharma had not turned up even
    for the relay fast, his colleagues complained.  
    
    In fact, there had been a purpose to the relay fast, his colleagues
    complained.  In fact, there had been a purpose to the relay fast
    itself, a Minister in the Delhi government told the paper: "The relay
    hunger strike had to be adopted to ensure the presence of at least six
    legislators at one time.  
    
    Otherwise there wouldn't be a soul present.""The dharna against the
    rebel troika turned into a carnival with music, crackers and plenty of
    food.  Some sat on hunger strike to lend dignity while others danced
    to parodies of Hindi film songs.  It seemed like a huge barat enjoying
    a picnic under the tree-lined avenue....," The Pioneer reported.There
    was action too.  
    
    "The 'street play' on Akbar Road continued unabated for the third
    day," The Pioneer reported, "with harried Congressmen zipping in and
    out in their airconditioned cars to convince their party president to
    rejoin...." One Manju Sachdeva was said to have attempted to burn
    herself to death.  Prudently, it would seem.  
    
    "Manju Sachdeva took time to pour kerosene herself, waiting to catch
    the attention of other party workers and police personnel.  So the
    moment she lit a match, there was chaos as a flood of saviours
    surrounded her...." She was rushed to the hospital, where she survived
    with "zero per cent burns"! Only the pallu of her sari had got singed
    a bit.  
    
    "Nonetheless," The Pioneer reporter observed, "the incident provided
    Congress agitators some inspiration.  'We must keep up the struggle,'
    they muttered even as they jostled with each other to grab tumblers of
    mineral water."Nor were Congressmen wanting in distant Bhopal. 
    "Protest turns farcical," The Hindu's headline ran.  
    
    Five Congressmen gathered and declared that they would jump off a
    seven storeyed apartment building.  The police, as well as the press
    had been alerted well in time.  "Before they began their ascent, they
    were dutifully garlanded by fellow-Congressmen," The Hindustan Times
    recorded.  Four of them were stopped by policemen.  
    
    "They did not offer even an iota of protest," The Hindu's report
    said.  The fifth managed to reach the top floor with some Congressmen
    and policemen in tow.  "His attempt to 'sacrifice' his life for the
    cause of his leader," The Hindu told its readers, "came to an end when
    he found the door leading up to the terrace locked.  
    
    He left after posing for the photographers."But Bhopal had even more
    committed devotees.  "By this time," The Hindu continued, "about a
    dozen Congress activists, including some women, had gathered near the
    statue of Jawaharlal Nehru at the Roshanara Square for committing
    'self-immolation' with the passersby acting as ready audience.  
    
    After posing for the photographers, they started pouring on each other
    'kerosene'.  Immediately after water jets from two fire-tenders
    stationed nearby were aimed at them and within no time their tryst
    with fire and the summer heat was turned into a cold water treat.  
    
    An MMPCC(I) office bearer's initiative was particularly responsible
    for the promptness with which the water jets were activised.""The deed
    done and recorded on film for posterity," The Hindustan Times said,
    "the drenched protesters climbed down victoriously from the feet of
    India's first Prime Minister.? 
    
    "Talking to The Hindustan Times members of the self-immolation
    squad....  said they were all serious about their bid to end their
    lives but were prevented by the police." That paper added that "The
    police, in the interim, had almost disappeared from the scene having
    convinced themselves that no one really wanted to jump off the
    terrace."In Delhi the action was more energetic.  
    
    A former Congress legislator from UP climbed a tree, and declared that
    he would not come down till Sonia relented.  Congressmen gathered
    around this new hero, as did the police, entreating him not to do
    something so drastic.  "Finally, after an hour or so," reported The
    Indian Express, "Samrat climbed down, but only after police officials
    assured him that they would not beat him up.  
    
    Meanwhile, the Delhi MLAs who have so far been maintaining a quiet
    round-the-clock vigil outside 10, Janpath, said that they would
    immolate themselves," the paper disclosed.  But, prudence personified,
    they said they would do so on the seventh day if by then Sonia had not
    withdrawn her resignation.  
    
    The Times of India reported others also taking the pledge to immolate
    themselves -- in the future.  As well as the man on the tree.  "What
    came as a surprise to many," it added, "was that not a single city
    minister, as had been announced earlier, attended the 'relay hunger
    strike' for most of the day.  The city Congress had said the ministers
    will take turns in the hunger strike....  
    
    "From two groups on fasts, in the beginning, The Hindustan Times
    reported optimistically on the 20th, there are now fourteen.By the
    21st The Indian Express was reporting that the "grotesque, non-stop
    drama...  has now blown into a circus that threatens to get out of
    control." A regular street-market has come up, it said, "as vendors of
    kulfi, ice-cream, popcorn and burgers rush in from nearby India Gate." 
    
    The jealousies were more pounced -- the "indefinite hunger strikes"
    from Andhra continuing to maintain, "We are the real camp, not those
    relay people further ahead....  and we have been at it for three whole
    days." Effigies upon effigies of the three villains kept being burnt. 
    "To add to the melee," the paper told us, "various leaders also take
    out their rag-tag crowd for a quick chakkar shouting slogans in an
    attempt at solidarity.  
    
    So, there is Girija Vyas with her small contingent, followed hastily
    by Salman Khurshid with his clutch of ragged supporters.  After
    shouting and burning some more effigies, Khurshid soon went back to
    his office to escape the heat...."A meeting of that orphanage - the
    Congress Working Committee - was scheduled.  
    
    As he arrived, Sitaram Kesri was punched in the stomach, he was hit in
    the face, his spectacles were snatched, his Gandhi cap was grabbed and
    torn up, his car windowpane was smashed.  Jitendra Prasad was roughed
    up....  Salman Khurshid's supporters, The Economic Times reported,
    were heard going up to him and telling him that they had "done it".  
    
    Kesri eventually staggered into the meeting, and sent his colleagues
    into a panic, The Indian Express reported, as he collapsed on the
    floor, he wouldn't move for fifteen minutes, eventually he had to be
    revived with a glass of water.  He wouldn't stop howling, The Economic
    Times said.  
    
    He couldn't understand what was being done to him: The Gandhi cap,
    isn't it the one he had placed at the feet of Sonia not long ago?,
    this distrust, isn't he the one who just the day before had, as The
    Indian Express reported, "worked himself into another emotional storm
    and tried to stop Sonia from walking out of Monday's meeting...."?
    "Kesri apparently caught hold of her hand," The Indian Express
    reported, "and begged her not to go, saying she was like his daughter
    and he was like her father." And within two days, this....The next
    day, on her way back from Rajiv's samadhi, Sonia dropped by at his
    house.  
    
    "Sudden silence at 10, Janpath," ran the headline of The Indian
    Express as it summed up, what Pranab Mukherji, would call "the ground
    realities" of the day.  The only piece action was provided, the paper
    said, by youngsters of the NSUI who locked up the party headquarters. 
    "They said that since everybody had resigned there was no point in
    keeping the office open," the Express reported.  
    
    "They threatened that they would not let anyone enter till Sonia came
    and unlocked it herself." Given the stamina of Congressmen, they soon
    settled for Oscar Fernandes to do the honours.  The mystery, however,
    was in the sudden evaporation of the circus.  What had happened? The
    Times of India of May 23 had the answer.  
    
    That visit to Kesri's house done, Sonia had stopped outside her house
    to meet the hunger-strikers.  They were unshaven, in unkempt clothes. 
    Concerned, moved, worried, she asked the AICC office to depute a team
    of doctors to them, and render medical help.  "Most of the [hunger]
    strikers," The Times of India reported, "were reportedly found by the
    team of doctors 'quite well fed and fit as fiddles'.  
    
    Alarmed Congress leaders," the paper said, "then decided to end the
    drama before Ms Gandhi found out."It was now the turn of the
    hunger-strikers to turn truculent.  We won't abandon the struggle,
    they declared.  However, they soon allowed the leaders to persuade
    them to change the weapon of struggle: instead of hunger-strikes they
    would sit on dharnas.  
    
    The excitement of eating-surreptitiously-while-fasting-indefinitely
    gone, they drifted away....Whether she has the acumen to handle other
    questions which face a Prime Minister, I can't say, but one thing is
    clear: she can't make out a person starving himself to death from one
    who is, as the doctors reported, "quite well fed and fit as a fiddle."
    



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