There was never any doubt that the Congress would seek to hit the BJP hard at its two-day plenary session at Burari, on the outskirts of Delhi, to mark the 125th anniversary of the founding of the party. The saffron party has been the Congress’ principal political target since it emerged as the Congress’ most significant electoral challenger on the national stage, although it needs to be said that, ideologically speaking, the Congress — more than any other party in the country — has been the harshest critic of the RSS and its affiliates, including the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and its successor party, the BJP. The speeches of the top leaders and senior ministers at Burari confirmed the vehemence of the Congress’ anti-BJP slant. (At BJP conclaves, and those of the communist parties, it is the Congress which typically emerges as the main adversary.)
A distinct new element seen in recent times by way of emphasis in Congress deliberations — especially party chief Sonia Gandhi’s speech — was the criticism of communal and extremist politics of all shades. This is a welcome acknowledgement of the rise of terrorism aimed at India and the appeal of Islamist extremism for a section of misguided Muslim youth. The last great Congress leaders to criticise Muslim communal politics were Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, although their perspectives were shaped by pre-partition politics and Jinnah’s stridency in pushing the “Muslim nation” agenda. Unlike that conjuncture, the Congress leadership today is clearly guided by exigencies of electoral politics — five Assembly elections are due next year. The Congress has also been careful at Burari not to attack the regional parties politically, for it may be called upon to do business with any of them — in the states, or even the Centre if the fallout of the Radia tapes and the spectrum scam impacts the UPA alliance negatively.
With corruption scandals surfacing all round us, there is no surprise that the plenary devoted time to deliberate on the issue. It is a pity that the ruling party has had to wait for unsavoury developments to erupt in the public domain before contemplating measures at the party forum to tackle corruption. Suggestions of the kind projected at the conclave should have been implemented long ago, especially doing away with the discretionary powers of ministers, state funding of elections, and transparency in contracts involving public money. People are likely to believe the Congress on these counts when they see change on the ground. Until then, they will hold their counsel. What is interesting in this regard is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s voluntary offer to appear before Parliament’s most important committee, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) — chaired by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi — to answer questions on the 2G spectrum scandal set in motion under former telecom minister A. Raja. This is unprecedented and is to be welcomed. If the Opposition parties are smart, they won’t take up the PM on his offer. Nevertheless, the PAC or any committee of Parliament cannot refuse a minister — technically, the PM is only the first among the ministers — who wishes to appear before it after making a formal request through the Speaker. The Burari economic resolution is bland. On foreign affairs, no regional or strategic vision has been presented, but concerns regarding China and Pakistan are clear enough. Arunachal Pradesh being part of India has been reiterated. Pakistan has been virtually told that fruitful bilateral relations will depend on Islamabad dismantling terrorist outfits and delivering on commitments as regards the perpetrators of 26/11.
Given the big occasion — celebrating the Congress’ 125th anniversary — the Burari session was too routine, too pat. The vision thing was missing.