Corruption and communalism dominated the 83rd Congress plenary session began on Sunday. While the draft political resolution has obliquely drew attention the Hindu terrorism asking the government to investigate links between terrorists and the RSS and its sister organisations challenging the security of the nation, it said the RSS and VHP are insidious to break India. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi directed the party chief ministers and ministers to relinquish “discretionary powers” in land allocation.
The draft political resolution moved by the senior leader and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, virtually endorsed Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s line on the menace of Hindu terrorism.
It said the role of religious fundamentalist organisations in challenging the security of the nation can no longer be ignored. ”The Indian National Congress calls upon the government to tackle this menace in the strongest possible manner and investigate links between ‘terrorists and the RSS and its sister organisations’ that have been uncovered in some recent cases.”
On the corruption issue which has put the Congress, its governments and the Centre on the defensive, Mrs Gandhi unveiled the plans how to tackle this issue in her presidential address.
She said: “We have ample evidence that all discretionary powers, particularly in land allocation breed corruption. I would like the Congress chief ministers and ministers at both the Centre and states to set an example by reviewing and relinquishing such powers.”
She said there is merit in instituting a new system of fast-tracking all cases that concern corruption by public servants, including politicians. Such cases drag on interminably and undermine public confidence and trust. “Why can’t we put in place systems that bring corruption cases to closure in a defined timeframe? This would bring the guilty to book quickly and clear those unfairly charged.”
She further said it is the duty of the administration to ensure that there is no subversion of due process. And should it come to pass, whistleblowers must be protected.
She said: “We need an open, competitive system of exploiting natural resources.”
The draft resolution came down heavily on the BJP, Sangh Parivar and the Left on “political hypocrisy and corruption” and described the BJP as a “pseudo-nationalist”.
The BJP has a history of double standards and double speak on issues of serious corruption involving “seniormost leadership” and occupants of highest offices, including those of chief ministers and ministers.
It has remained in a state of denial or stubbornly sought to divert attention by raising bogeys and indulging in political theatrics. In “shamelessly” putting up a defence of corruption in the BJP-governed states and stubbornly protecting the chief minister of Karnataka and others accused of plundering national resources, “the BJP has demonstrated its moral bankruptcy and political hypocrisy; so too parties like the CPI(M) and others who have actively indulged in corruption in the states under their rule. Shrill messaging cannot overtake the place of concrete action and the Congress units across the country should take up cudgels against corruption,” it said.
The BJP and its affiliated organisations like the RSS and the VHP continue to hide their prejudice and the atrocities committed by them behind the rhetoric of economic progress and pseudo-nationalism, it said.