Editorial: Continuing as Ruling as well as Opposition Party

…ruling party’s members should be active enough to address an issue before opposition could raise them, not after opposition has already made much hue and cry and erected a stockpile of troubles for the government. Secondly, all members of the ruling party should be participant of this exercise, not only selected one…

Nothing could be more pleasant than a weak, ineffective opposition for a ruling party in a democracy. The congress, being not only the oldest, but also the longest ruling political outfit, is wont to it. Nonetheless, with young Gandhi scion’s constant interest in aam admi, Congress has been able to herald a new version of politics in the country; both govern the people and oppose the government. Well, it cannot be termed thoroughly new-fangled, though. Call to mind the first democratically elected communist government of the world. Communist veteran Comrade EMS Namboodaripad, who became chief minister of Kerala following creating a large scale communist movement, suddenly found himself serving two contradictory duties: governing people and keeping communist revolution alive (which has been historically against government). The Congress is doing the same, its ministers are governing people and their general secretary Rahul Gandhi is taking up public issues for redressal. So when the beleaguered opposition all at once got united, strong and robust over sugarcane prices, Gandhi came into the scene, taking up the issue, meeting PM and getting some assurance of action. It may be nice way of doing things, more sophisticated, too, but it’s not the era of Comrade Namboodaripad. People are wiser than Congress tries to get wise at times.

No doubt, democracy has and must have scope for such procedures, ruling party’s own members taking the issues that opposition does. It’ll strengthen the democratic tradition and put nation on the path of fast development. But, under this tradition, ruling party’s members should be active enough to address an issue before opposition could raise them, not after opposition has already made much hue and cry and erected a stockpile of troubles for the government. Secondly, all members of the ruling party – of course, those not part of government – should be participant of this exercise rather than this special facility being reserved for some selected one. In Congress party’s case, issues that Gandhi takes up such as Bundelkhand, sugarcane prices, excluding his itinerary in dalit villages, are borrowed from opposition. Besides, neither Congress nor Gandhi has ever asked his party members to take up such issues themselves against their own party’s government. To really convince people of its genuinity, Congress should consider above suggestions.

Well, currently Cabinet has passed a package of Rs 7000 crore for Bundelkhand region at Gandhi’s initiative. It’s most welcome. We hope the government will, at Gandhi’s best, will address sugarcane farmers, too. And it will address them in a way that they receive the due prices and market prices of sugar – as feared – don’t hike up as well. We also hope, genuinely, next time Gandhi will raise an issue before Opposition can. And he will encourage his fellows to do so, too.