Does the country need another BJP?
As the family-owned political pasture called the Congress is drying up, all the aged cattle are grieving that ‘they have been neglected.’ While many of them have already quit the party in search of greener pastures, those that have completely lost their relevance and continue to remain in the Congress have revolted complaining that they are not being allowed to graze in the pasture that is now left of the party. There is no other comparison better than this to portray the revolt of the seniors in the Congress. Having built their political careers and having reaped political dividends using the name of the Gandhi family, and without making any contribution to the growth of the party, these seniors have turned around and raised a banner of revolt against the Gandhi family, and are now trying to break the party.
If the contribution of these seniors who reaped maximum benefits when the Congress was in power is analyzed, it would inadvertently throw up the reasons for the present state of the Congress. Staying in the Congress but allowing the Sangh Parivar to expand and thrive across the country, these seniors made sure that young leaders did not grow. At the same time, they did not allow new ideas to germinate in the party. The Congress is on the verge of sinking mainly because of these seniors who somehow kept the high command pleased and nipped any new leadership from blossoming within the party. How does it then matter who holds the reigns of a ship that is sinking under the weight of the seniors? In the present situation, the position of the Congress president is almost like the Cross to bear and obviously, no one is willing to have it. Rahul Gandhi who had it knows it well. Sonia Gandhi has agreed to continue as an interim President for six months. But what will happen to the Congress after six months? Does any leader other than Rahul Gandhi have the strength to take the Congress forward?
In the present form, the Gandhi family has lost its charisma. Gone are the days when votes could be fetched simply by being Indira Gandhi’s grandchildren. The tiny voice of Rahul Gandhi is lost in the tsunami of lies peddled by Narendra Modi. The Congress party cannot survive if it is not completely restructured and overhauled. But, if such an attempt is made, the party will once again get divided. There is a possibility that a few seniors might walk out of the party. It is then prudent to get onto a floating raft than to become the owner of a sinking ship. If Rahul Gandhi is really keen on giving life to the party, it would be better for him to choose a floating raft. This means that everything should start from the scratch. But it does not appear that Rahul Gandhi has the moral authority to take on this onerous task.
In the present circumstances, the biggest problem before the Congress is not that of leadership but its lack of clarity over its political stance and the resulting confusion. The Congress party is confused whether it should become the old Congress and fight the BJP or wear the Hindutva garb and face the BJP. Leaders in the Congress that the RSS had dropped into the party were running the agenda of soft Hindutva. These leaders had also indirectly cooperated in the growth and expansion of the RSS in the country when the Congress was in power for nearly 70 years. Today, ‘Hindutva Forces’ have partially succeeded in taking the country’s politics under their control. Looking at this success of the ‘Hindutva Forces’, the Congress is considering how to become a part of this Hindutva rather than thinking of the means of strengthening the secular forces that have weakened. It does not appear that the Congress is even interested in introspecting about how Constitutional values got eroded and how the RSS grew when the party was in power for nearly 70 years.
In the first week of August when work on the Ram Mandir began, the Congress was not embarrassed in identifying itself with this movement and proclaimed that Rajiv Gandhi too had a role in the construction of the Ram Mandir. By doing this, it completely owned up the responsibility for the demolition of Babri Masjid. The Congress also tried hard rather unsuccessfully to show that the BJP was not responsible for the construction of Ram Mandir but that it was being built according to the Supreme order and also stop the BJP from reaping political dividends from the construction of Ram Mandir.
Several Constitutional experts have already expressed the view that the Supreme Court’s order about the construction of Ram Mandir is ridden with contradictions. Stating that the demolition of the Babri Masjid is a criminal offence, the Supreme Court at the same time allowed the construction of the temple. The court forgot that a temple could be constructed on the same spot only because the Babri Masjid was demolished. It has been alleged widely that political compulsions were responsible for the Supreme Court’s order. Congress leaders are very much aware of this. Despite this, if the Congress identified with the Ram Mandir, it means that the Congress is mentally aligning itself with the BJP.
Similarly, it is the Congress that raised a hue and cry over the Rafale deal. But the moment the Rafale aircraft landed in India, it conceded that the Congress was responsible for Rafale’s entry into India. It is true that the Rafale agreement took place during the UPA regime. But then, Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL) was part of the deal. By handing that part of the deal over to Reliance, the BJP turned it into a mega scandal. Though Rafale has entered India, it has not got a clean chit in this scandal. The Congress could have used this opportunity to bring BJP to its knees but is now trying to take credit for bringing Rafale aircraft to India in the first place.
The Congress is casting its eyes on Hindutva after losing its political base that comprised Dalits, Backward Classes, and Minorities that the party had used as its strength. Unless the Congress gets clarity over its ideology and political stance, whoever takes on the party mantle will not be able to save the party. The country is finding it difficult to tolerate one BJP. Does it need another BJP in the garb of the Congress?
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
