Election for 182 members of the Gujarat State Assembly is gaining importance as if it is a frontline for not only the future of Indian democracy, but also of the Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi, and especially Rahul Gandhi who is likely to be 'coronated' as president of the 132 year old political party. Gujarat is comparatively a small state in India with 6 per cent of land area and 5 per cent of the population leading in terms of economy, industry, exports, entrepreneurship and investments. It is the largest diamond-polishing centre in the world, with 90 per cent of gems from across the seas polished in Surat. It accounts for almost 40 per cent production of mineral oil of the country. Gujarat has 40 per cent of India's pharma industry, 34 per cent of investments in stocks and shares in India are from the state of Gujarat. Nearly 16 per cent of the country's exports originate from Gujarat.
Historically, Gujarat has played a leading role for many centuries. The old ports of Khambhat (Cambay), Bharuch (Broach), and Surat, were at one stage, the leading harbours in the entire world. In the independence movement, especially after the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa, on January 9, 1915, Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad became the nerve centre of the peaceful and non-violent movement, which surprisingly to some was able to hit the final nail in the coffin of British Imperialism. The political battle-line in Gujarat is between the Congress and the BJP. Historically, no third party has succeeded to win in Gujarat to acquire power. Since 1995, a long period of 22 years, Gujarat has been ruled continuously by the BJP and Narendra Modi, former chief minister was in power from 2001 till he became Prime Minister in 2014.
In the present State Assembly, BJP has 115 seats and Congress has a meagre 60. In 2002, 2007, and 2012 elections, BJP had up to 132 seats. Congress has a very small presence in the Assembly. The voting will take place on December 9,1 4, and results will be out on 18. In the last few months, an energised Rahul Gandhi has been leading a do or die election campaign in Gujarat and the party has put all resources at his disposal to defeat the BJP which is led by Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani. Prime Minister Modi finds himself as Gandhi's target on regular occasions. The Congress alleges that there is no development in Gujarat whatsoever. A new slogan has been coined by them- Vikas Gaando Thayo Che. As much as they want to beam with pride over what they feel is a clever use of word, the truth remains that it is all humbug and makes no sense. What they intend to convey is that promises the BJP and Narendra Modi gave to Gujarat, have not been materialised, and are nothing but false.
Unsurprisingly the Congress party has only learned to do what it knows best, point fingers at the BJP. It has drastically failed to give any other alternative agenda for the development of the state. To make matters worse, their main strategy is to form alliances with three young people; Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani, representing various castes; Patel, OBC, and SC/ST. Congress along with Rahul Gandhi believe that the people of Gujarat may have forgotten what happened in 1984. When the Congress, led by then chief minister Madhavsinh Solanki formed an openly casteist organisation within the party, called KHAM- Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasis, and Muslims. It went on to win the largest number of seats ever- 149. Expectedly, severe riots broke out in the state in the following few months and Solanki was eventually dispatched into retirement on a priority basis. Whatever the caste, when the Congress party promotes casteist groups that are demanding larger and larger shares of the so called reservation policy, they seem to forget, that the origin of the reservation in education and jobs was at one point of history opposed even by none other than Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The well known, brilliant lawyer and economist who hailed from Dalit community.
It was other congress leaders who prevailed on Ambedkar to provide reservation for 10 years to members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Dalits and Adivasis) to alleviate the damage and injury of the centuries old Untouchability. India has moved farther ahead in 70 years however politicians have no sense of shame or compunction and always try to save themselves in rough seas on the false planks of caste and reservation. In India, thankfully, the bad old days of untouchability are by and large gone. People not only work together, they live together and even marry together. Caste and its system has rapidly begun to lose its importance.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi have also been vocal about Narendra Modi's demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax policies. Yes, one has to admit that the two measures were certainly bold and imaginative even by international experts. Extreme changes were made especially in the context of Indian polity and society. In the previous 70 odd years, no central government (mainly Congress led) or state government were able to muster up imagination and courage to embark on such game-changing reforms. People who live in Britain for the last 50-odd years remember when in the 70s the decimal currency or VAT were introduced in the UK. Manifold concerns, resistance, and protests were raised. Human beings always get scared of change especially the kind with a magnitude of GST or demonetisation. Such changes, as intense and magnanimous as they get, are necessary if India wants to become a one economy nation. The country needs such painful transformation.
Despite all the reservations one has about Narendra Modi, he has proved himself in the last 3 and half years that he is fuelled by vision, courage, conviction and hard work, and is prepared to do the most herculean of efforts to change the framework of the Indian administration and the society well within the compass of democracy and secularism. India is not China where state can willy nilly do whatever it wants to do and planning laws and other restrictions have no effect whatsoever.
Another one of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress' favourite topics is communal harmony. The present campaign of Rahul Gandhi is focused on the caste groups of the above mentioned three young men and especially of the areas where tribals and Muslims are settled. Naturally, crowd would come to listen to Rahul Gandhi, especially when he and other Congress leaders verbally attack Modi- rightly or wrongly. But young Mr Gandhi forgets every time, that the people remember the difference a change in government brought. They know that since 2002, Gujarat has remained, for the first time since independence, without communal disharmony, riots, or imposition of the Indian Penal Code 144, that prohibits assembly of more than four people in an area.
There are other charges on the BJP and Narendra Modi by the Congress, of course. In elections, everything is fair, but how far it will stick is a different question.
Rahul Gandhi has attacked Modi on his international tours and alliances with several governments and organisations. In the modern world, strategic alliances are part of life. India has two enemies on its east and west and it was facing challenges on its own in the past. One can say with confidence that now, India, America, Japan, and Australia with Vietnam and other countries have created a framework on standing together and defending each other's interests against any aggressive attacks from China. Defense is ultimately most important. It is the duty of the State to safeguard the sanctity of the borders and safety and security of citizens. Without any hesitations Narendra Modi has been giving a strong leadership to India as he has given to the state of Gujarat for almost 12 years.
What began as the first and the pivotal political party in India, the Congress party now suffers from two very grave diseases; policy paralysis and rampant corruption. Meanwhile, one can say without any hesitation that in 3 and half years, in a long time of history, not one scandal has come out involving Narendra Modi or members of his Cabinet or any state where BJP is ruling.
