What if Congress never existed?

Recently, PM Modi replied to a motion of thanks by President Ram Nath Kovind. In his speech, he addressed issues emanating from every section of the Indian political spectrum. Moreover, he also raised some questions to be addressed by the nation. One of them is India’s probable polity in the wake of Congress not existing in it.

In his speech, PM Modi cited Mahatama Gandhi’s wish to dissolve Congress. He suggested that Gandhi being an insider had a fair bit of idea about the ruckus Congress could cause. Prime Minister also suggested some possibilities in the wake of Congress not being there.

अगर कांग्रेस न होती तो क्या होता ? ; ये समझाया मोदी जी नें … !!!pic.twitter.com/2nFnq7CW3Q
— Avinash Srivastava 🇮🇳 (@go4avinash) February 8, 2022

Here is the list of what could have happened if Congress never existed:

Absence of foreign influence

British were fearful of violent revolutions like that of 1857. Moreover, they had already lost America due to a fierce uprising. British knew that they were fewer in numbers, so they needed tacit local support. Many believe that Congress did that job for them. They acted as a safety valve for Britishers.

Congress had assimilated itself in Britishers’ ways. So, when they left India, only rulers changed and not their methods of ruling. Congress never really tried to shed the legacy of Britishers. Various concepts of our set-up are direct copies of Britishers. Neither did legal system established by Britishers change, nor the economic, social and political setup.

Institutionalised Corruption and dynasty politics

Favouring someone known to us is an aspect of human nature. However, when it is done by a politician, it can cause anarchy. Congress party over some time has become a dynasty empire in which power is transferred from one generation to another. This has led to a culture of favoritism in Congress set up and down under.

Slowly, Corruption became a norm. It became widely accepted that to get any kind of work done in ministry, you have to reserve some percentage of your capital for the top echelons. If it is being done at the ministerial level, the bureaucrats followed suit and no single office was left where you did not have to spend extra to get your job done.

Regionalism, Casteism and Communalism

India is a diverse country, where it’s tough for one party to gain every seat. However, for parties like Congress, there is a shortcut, divide them based on religion, caste or region and send your agents to individually target these groups for a vote. Congress devised a polity in which minority appeasement became the norm and turned into a trample of Majority rights.

Similarly, the caste system which was supposed to be eliminated has been kept alive to date by stretching reservation time limits, something against the wishes of B R Ambedkar, Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee.

Moreover, the way North and South of India are divided over petty issues like language. It would not be possible if Aryan- Dravid divide had not been created through promotion of Aryan Invasion theory.

Khalistan and Sikh genocide

No one else other than Congress could be blamed for this tragedy. To weaken its political rival in Punjab, Congress had tried to hobnob with Khalistanis which resulted in the encouragement of these elements. Slowly, Bhindranwale and Co. started to massacre Hindus.

But, Bhindranwale became a suicidal bag for Congress, which later engulfed Indira Gandhi. To avenge Indira’s death, Congress party massacared Sikhs. Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had estimated that more than 2,700 Sikhs had been killed by Congress mob in riots. Even now, Khalistanis are actively working to destroy India.

Kashmiri Pandits’ exodus and Tandoor incident

PM Modi also referred to the fact that Kashmiri Pandits were thrown out of their own homes in the valley and Congress did nothing to protect their lives, dignity and properties. He also mentioned an incident in which a woman was burned in Tandoor.

Due to paucity of time, PM Modi did not elaborate some other problems created by Congress.

Compromise with national sovereignty and weakened strategic control

Congress let India divide into two halves in 1947. Additionally, a lot of territories were also skittling away from India. If it was not for Sardar Patel’s timed intervention, our would not be as big as it currently is.

Even after borders were sealed, Pakistan and China kept compromising with Indian sovereignty. Due to Congress’ weak policies, India suffered a heavy casualty in Indo-China war in 1962. With Pakistan, the fight is still on, and they are waiting for Cogress’ return to power so that they could re-start infiltrating. China also keeps interrupting border peace from time to time.

Reduced aggression to the extent that it weakened Indians

Most moralities are shams. They are imposed by someone who wants to control your impulsive aggression so that they could take advantage of your morality.

The same goes for India’s current moral fabric. By reducing the impact of aggressive leaders like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Congress ensured that their ideologies and methods are not given much space in Indian political setup. Their ideologies taught us to match eye to eye of enemies, something on which the American civil war took place. They wiped out a despotic British regime within 10 years.

Congress and Britishers’ prime aim was to garner as much power as they can. So, it naturally follows that preaching people non-violence will ensure that they would never be up in arms with full ferocity against Congress rule in independent India. Except for false morality, no single party can maintain its regime for more than 70 years in any country.

Congress has more guilt than anyone could write upon. Time and space does not allow us to dwell on past events. However, a gentle reminder is still needed so that upcoming generations don’t fall into their trap.