CONGRESS NOW WHERE IT STANDS? WHAT IS TO BE DONE? 2006-2007

8/8/2019 CONGRESS NOW WHERE IT STANDS? WHAT IS TO BE DONE? 2006-2007

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CONGRESS WHERE IT STANDS NOW? WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

RAPOLU ANANDA BHASKAR, MEMBER, AICC PRESENTATION TO AICC 82ND HYDERABAD PLENUM, JANUARY 2006

CONGRESS

NOW

WHERE IT STANDS?

WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

RAPOLU ANANDA BHASKAR

To all the delegates of all layers at PLENUM

ALL INDIA CONGRESS COMMITTEEJANUARY 21-23, 2006, RAJIV NAGAR, HYDERABAD

MAGNIFICENT MODEL OF RENUNCIATION


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Normally there is nothing new as the subject.But, it is certainly fresh as an object.

The archaeologists unearthed and the historians recorded the stone inscriptions of

Great Ashoka age, telling that: The present generation is insensitive to moral values and

behaves untraditionally. So the older generation and the learned shall take pains tocorrect them for the good of the future.

This is apt forever.

As all other avocations and professions, the practice of politics is no longer patriotic and service

activity, though claimed fervently as such, but a way to livelihood, enhancing social standing

and amassing unaccounted riches.In the society at large, physically challenged, socially deprived, nutritionally under nourished,

youthfully unemployed and under employed and economically disadvantaged look with anguish

and will be aggressive and be ready to change the trend.

This plenum of INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS 82nd in its 121 years age third one inHyderabad is historic like all its earlier sessions, though occupancy of space in the History

may vary. Post-Independent era of Congress has many phases and has also had uniformity

and continuity of the leadership and dedication and loyalty of the following.


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THEN, WHERE CONGRESS STANDS NOW?

In this Global village culture and stabilized attitude of demanding

individualistic facilities and single family dominated society and

economy, in Indian polity ever young with 70%population under

35 and vibrant as nation Congress is still delivering though with lotof constraints and with fractured mandate.

In the post-Indira era, Congress has

In 1984, 415seats and 48%votesIn 1989, 197 seats and 40%votes

In 1991, 232 seats and 37%votes

In 1996, 140 seats and 29%votesIn 1998, 141 seats and 26%votes

In 1999, 112 seats and 28% votes

In 2004, 145 seats and 29%votes [UPA 217 seats & 38% votes + Left]


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Have we lost West Bengal and Tamilnadu forever? Were UP and Bihar on the

same way? Why incumbency disadvantages mostly to our Congress?

Is dependency and coalition ordained for Congress?

Can we retrieve the lost longitude and latitude?

CONGRESS: PRESENT ORGANIZATION: SWOTSTRENGTH: Thoroughly cemented with very well accepted and well-proven

leadership and nobody nurtures ambition of the top of the party. Emergence of

new leaders in the middle and lot of space for social engineering.

WEAKNESS: Middle Pradesh to Block committees delayed, insensitiveand non-responsive in follow up, mass mobilization and moulding public

opinion. Ever looking to upward to save them. Blocking the divergent views.

OPPORTUNITY: Continued flow of youth and women into the party. Their

freshness of thought and vigour to achieve.THREAT: Un due respect to resources and their holders and harmful

indulgence in compromise. Impression of unkempt promises. Growing gap

between party structure and the persons in Government.


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To substantiate the analysis, observe the following:

Mouth communication and mass mobilization is pathetic to stabilize in the mass mind,

the magnificent model of sacrifice by our party President where as there is lot of intrigue

even to corner a post of Panch or councilor. Hardly there is any public show at any level

to register this in the minds of not only people but also party cadres.

Before enacting the Right to Information, our party President has asked for movement

in its support. Even after repeated follow-ups, there was hardly any small meeting

espousing the need of the Act. Even after enactment, there is no effort at lower level togain the credit to the party.

Late Rajivs initiative to make Constitutional obligation to bring in social justice at Local

Body level and to empower Local Governance for realizing Mahathmas Grama Swaraj and

to provide fiscal strength was not credited with our party. In various states, the credit had

gone to the ruling parties there.

Transparency, simplicity and austerity were placed on high esteem by our President,

while forwarding Code of Conduct to party workers and guiding principles to the rulers.

Adherence to them, which to come from top, was mostly on paper and cosmetic.


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Complete imbalance of social equilibrium in the elections and political placements and doles, where the

reservations are not mandatory. Deprived are in oblivion where favoured few are heavily awarded.Ministers, MPs, MLAs and other protocol holding, security-enjoying persons ensure their choice coteries

and build distance with average activist, who will look like a slave.

Have ever the TA, DA drawing pay pocket class politicians given thought to ensure support in making the

associate activists to be self reliant, without which, the earnings of deprived activists attract the scanner of

purity.The lower ward and village - level committees were almost defunct without chance of regular meetings

to review of the prevalent situation, development and aspirations of their immediate localities and areas.

Our party President respected the Presidents of Block Committees, by having a national meeting to give

a chance to ventilate their ideas and feelings and to highlight their key role. Then, there is hardly any follow

up downward to sustain that vigour.Our 2004 manifesto commitment to be BACK TO BASICS and concern forAam Aadmiwas never

debated at any level except at the top, after we came to power.

Our party President personally expressed anguish at non-responsive nature and pressing for productive

participation by our Parliamentarians and Legislators. Lastly she has written in her letter in the December

2005 issue of Congress Sandesh asking the party workers to press their elected representatives to ensureattendance in their respective August Houses.

Our party faced a severe problem with the scarcity of LP gas all over the country for the last few months,

as it is hurting the middle and lower classes. The scarcity of gas was doubted as artificial to hike the price.

Then the talk of hike came and now the average middle class kitchen is attributing all the hikes of prices of

essential commodities to our Governance.


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There are many state wise, area wise and place wise unkemptpromises and impatience of the ruling class is on the raise.

Here we shall also accept that

Its impossible to please all the people all the time.And every action will irritate somebody.

But the follow up care to soothe the angered minds and heartsare of real importance. Once it is left unattended, the rejection

next time exists. This is vital to protect and nurture mandate.

Were the committees of various levels engrossed with this role?

Before assessing it, let us have a cursory look at society.


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PAN-INDIAN SOCIETY: POLITICS AND POLLS70 percent of the population is young, that is, seven out of 10 Indians are aged under 35.

70 percent of the population is still dependent on agriculture.

And from them, 70 percent of the agricultural workforce is women. [This gives a very clear

indication of the importance of the constitutional guarantee to employment to rural labour, which

is to begin soon and the role of party workers in ensuring work and credit to our party.]

Poverty is prevalent through out.

Middle class in rural and urban is the bedrock. Artisans and handicrafts are havoc stricken.

Consumer base of our country is in the eyes of global giants.

60 percent consumers live in rural India. Voluntary organizations are also making in roads.

Self-help groups are here to stay. These all have the perennial role to set trend.

Half the population is less than 20 years old. Under 18 years of age, are about 40 percent.

One third of the population is under 15. That young India is connected to the world via satellite

television and shares an aspiration to do well. Above 60 years of age is about 10 percent.

Under 18 and above 60, that is, 50 percent are dependent. But can set a trend.


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From our population, only 50 percent is in working age of 18 and 60 years.

This is economically productive. This is also voting age. They want performance not promises.Employment generation is menial to the growing numbers of professionally educated, resulting

in their unemployment and under employment. This is the threat of trend.

Only one among 12000 is crorepati in our country. There are about a lakh crorepatis in India

and almost 10000 is being added every year. From them, at least half are interested in politicsand understands the crucial need of political circle. There is notion that rich is right and has

right for separate seat. This is the real threat of commercialization of politics still the factor

of affordability exists in ticket doles or riches widespread to many.

ELECTORATE:

Electorate is actively changing body. Every sixth voter is new. New voter addition is havinggreat impact in the elections. Elections provide valuable indicators of social and political

change. Elections educate the generations. The people get disappointed when their mandate is

belittled and had to face snap polls. But, normally Indians enjoy elections. Our average voting is

always above 55 percent.Voters choice is conditioned and restricted.

Voters restrict their own choice.

Above 40 percent are voting as per their caste, socio-cultural and religious preferences.

Women are now having separate trend.


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AT LARGE, WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

Ensure the new tryst of our party with the destiny of the nation.

Extend RAJIV GANDHI FORMULA of reservations for social justice

to Assemblies and Parliament in phased manner.

Ensure the feeling of vibrancy and readiness at middle level to takeon the challenges to retain all.

Ensure promptness in policy evaluation and to keep up the

promises.Ensure sustained development with human face and consciousness

of social dynamics.

For the successful role of any committee, enthusiastic activistsmatter the most.

Is average Congress activist properly enthused and well informed?To this, every body here is having their own answer, with varying degrees.


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AVERAGE CONGRESS ACTIVIST: SWOT

Strength: Member of the national party with history, present relevanceWeakness: Depends on vote banks and poll waves

Opportunity: New measures of the party & its Government to reposition himself & the party

Threat: Discouragement within, impatience to face the reality, Contending parties tirade

To energize the Activist, WHAT IS TO BE DONE?

Respect and share of credit.

Recognition and ensuring the participation.

Support to attain self-reliance.

CADRE ORIENTATION:

Ensure maintaining computerized registry of the activity drawn from various sources in enablingthe opportunities to the deprived activists.

There is every need to take care of the personality development of the activist, for which a

separate manual of training is needed. It shall be the part of regular programmes of the party,

without any paraphernalia.

Hierarchically the observers from upper committees shall hold periodical counseling of the

activists, where their personal concerns may also be encouraged to discuss.There is every need to have internal grievance cells at various levels headed by the Presidents of the

committees to hear to the activists personal ambitions and problems. At least before committee formations

and placement doles, some silent and dispassionate intelligence is highly needed.


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Once the activist is enthused and well informed, it strengthens the

organization. Then only we can expect the average activist as the ChangeAgent and can play catalytic role. Otherwise, they will be mere camp

followers with no enthusiasm.

WHAT A CHANGE AGENT SHALL DO IN LOCAL SETTING?

Keystone shaking is the most important instead of removing from heap, one

after other.

Shall speak in peoples language. Shall touch only their concerns.

Issue concentration is always useful. Have to pick the issue and pad itthoroughly. Shall first evolve wavelength, shall keep their experience in view.

Shall have the life as model.

Shall have understanding about our gray areas and green areas. Shall have

keen assessment of our structured strength vis-a vis our opponents and theproper map and chart of action and shall be dealt with sector-wise.

With these, I hope, the dreams of our party President will come true.

With these, all will follow.[Besides in A.P., having understanding of neighboring states and feedback from various parts of the country.]


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Whether CONGRESS Is SENSITIVE And SENSITIZING?

RAPOLU ANANDA BHASKAR, MEMBER, AICC PRESENTATION TO AICC MEETING IN NOVEMBER 2007

At this November 17, 2007 NEW DELHI session of

ALL INDIA CONGRESS COMMITTEE,AS THE NEXT GENERATION ATTAINED

THE SECOND BEST POSITION IN THE PARTY,

RAPOLU ANANDA BHASKAR, Member, AICC

While offering SEASONS GREETINGS and

ADVANCE WISHES OF THE COMING 2008

Humbly submits

to all the fellow delegates

to think deeplyWhether

CONGRESSIsSENSITIVE

And

SENSITIZING?


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At over all society level, these times are rapidly changing, tech-savvy on one front and

hunger and anger on another front.The average person, irrespective of the demographic setting, is

self centred, semi-skilled, insensitive and under-sensitized.

The priorities in policy and programme implementation are bringing in, parity and

throwing new challenges.

The issues dearer to the heart and mind are very well understood even with scarce and

remote information, where as the problems of large, even attracted wide and long time and

space of visual and print media, are glanced but coolly skipped.

These are nothing new and just normal in the society.

Take a few latest examples:Where ever, National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme is sincerely implemented,

there erupted severe dearth of agriculture labour.

This is warranting emergent requisition of modern tools for all agrarian needs.

Besides, the intelligent landed people are benefiting with the scope of using the programme to

improve their barren land to cultivable, where as the small and marginal peasants and tenants

are having heart burn, for their inability to benefit.

And there is also serious complaint fornot being able to create any permanent asset, but, it

is appreciated, as this is economically empowering on day to day basis, the deprived sections.


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Are we sensitive to these developments and playing our role in sensitizing

the involved sections on them?Major Food Crisis is imminent and the input costs and natural calamities are still leading

the farming sector to the tragedy and bankruptcy. The governments - union and state and

banks and other lending agencies are worried about subsidy, credit and collection.

Agitations are on for reasonable hike in minimum support price to paddy and other crops.Growing parity of such prices between Paddy, which requires much input cost, and wheat, is

snow balling into agitation.

How much sensitive we are and have we sensitized?

The finalization stage of 11th five year plan has just crossed the Planning Commission.

All the sections of this nation one way or other get influenced by the coming plan.

Were we sensitive and sensitized in any way?

Our party President has boldly expressed the wide spread anguish on the disrespect to

the farmers interests in land acquisition for special economic zones. Almost all the states are

having the complication in land acquisition for SEZs.Were we sensitive and sensitized on this?

Growing chains of retail mega markets and collapse of small and traditional traders are irritating

the societal peace. The displaced traders are becoming labour.

Were we sensitive and sensitized on this?


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There are plenty of examples.

These are not new to all of us, but certainly the level of sensitivity andthe role of sensitizing is varying and at many times, less than

required level.

Why this is so?Because, though there is wonderful flow of new members in to our

live organization, the care for the personality development of the

average activist is minimum. With the first hand understanding notonly in native Andhra Pradesh but also neighbouring Tamilnadu,

Karnataka, Maharastra and poll-bound Gujarat and the gathered feed

back from other states, it is in all humility submitted that, except fromAICC to PCCs, the flow of communication is pathetic, conditioned

and controlled. District level to lower level, the Committee system is

in collapse.


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Mouth communication is very poor.

Regular meetings of party workers are invisible. Except the latest decision ofUPCC to hold its PCC delegates two day meeting at Kanpur, out of the state

capital, such meets are irregular and just to garland and to praise the star

attraction of the day.Reality assessment is not encouraged. Cadre registry is missing.

The power centres and their favoured few hold their field day and the workers

are just needed on daily wages, as and when, the elections have arrived or

a leader is coming from the top.Then how our party is surviving?

To be honest,

Out ofCIRCUMSTANTIAL CUSHIONING and PERIODICAL PROVIDENCE.

If carefully followed the mission and efforts of our party President,CONGRESS can be SENSITIVE

and can thoroughly and perpetually SENSITIZE.[This is sequel to my document to 2006 HYDERABAD PLENUM]


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About RAPOLU ANANDA BHASKARAfter top positions in TELUGU JOURNALISM [1980-94], being the biographer of Shrimathi INDIRA GANDHI [1984],

Author and researcher of socio-political topics, joined the party in 1994.

Presently, AICC MEMBER. Became PCC DELEGATE [No: 522] from Cherial of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh.Was Member Secretary of 2004 Manifesto Committee of A.P.C.C. Was Spokesperson and Secretary of Organizational

Matters of A.P.C.C [2004-05]. Was in-charge of TRAINING in A.P.C.C. for eight years since 1995, prepared manuals

for the personality development of the party worker and traveled length and breadth of the state, conducting camps.

An OBC, involved in the well being of Handloom weavers, other artisans, weaker sections and disabled.

To reach him: Mail: [email protected] Mobile: 0-9391370393

With The P.M.& the A.P. C.M in 2005

Author with Shrimati SONIA GANDHI in 1999

CONGRESS NOW WHERE IT STANDS? WHAT IS TO BE DONE? 2006-2007

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