Editorial

The Commitment That Inspires

The budget session left little to write home about. If the annual financial statement was disappointing and depressing, the session itself was fruitless and frustrating. The budget showed once again that the BJP-led Central Government was insensitive to the needs of the nation. As Smt. Sonia Gandhi said it "revealed the true priorities of this government". Given the widespread crisis the agricultural sector has been facing, what with severe drought raging in a number of states leading to suicide by bankrupt farmers, the government was expected to come out with concrete steps to ameliorate the dismal situation. The problems of sugarcane growers in U.P and other states have remained unattended, let alone resolved.

Edible oil is being imported in massive quantities with no concern for the small and marginal farmers in dryland areas. As it is, these farmers who work virtually without any support from government agencies to produce oil seeds required for the nation, have been facing uphill task due to drought. Now, imports dominating the market, they are doomed to be decimated financially and demoralized psychologically. The government does not seem to be even alive to what is happening under its very nose. Such simple agricultural items like garlic are being imported stunting the indigenous development of this farm product.

Ever since the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre, the flow of technology to the farm sector has come to a zero level. The Technology Missions started by Rajiv Gandhi were given a go by, leaving the farming community to fend for itself. It is impossible to believe that the government and its army of experts are unaware of the stark realities. What is stopping them from applying effective brakes to the downturn in the economy has been somewhat a mystery for a while. But not any more. It is clear what the BJP and its allies want is just political power to enforce on the nation an agenda that has little relevance today. These power-hungry political outfits do not seem to read the writing on the wall: they are not needed. They are, however, undeterred. How else does one explain the fanfare on the completion of five years in office by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee? What has he achieved is the question the BJP and its allies refuse to ask themselves. A comparison of the performance of Smt. Sonia Gandhi who also completed five years in office as Congress President, would tell the real story. In this period the Congress under Smt. Gandhi came to power in as many as 15 states - a gain of 12 states, while the ruling party of Shri Vajpayee was voted out in the few states that it was in power.

The BJP is bound to realise that the ground under its feet is sinking and that can make it desperate. The nation has learnt enough about the BJP to know what this party does when it is in distress. This is what the Congress rank and file should be cautious about. Ram Temple helped them to crawl to power at the Centre. What would be the active ingredient of this party’s campaign for the next election? Congress workers would have to caution the people about this and educate them not to fall in the communal trap. The nation-wide Kranti Padayatras scheduled to be organised by the Congress as a follow-up of the action programme given by Smt. Sonia Gandhi at the Delhi Convention of DCC & BCC presidents provide an excellent opportunity to foil the possible machinations of the BJP with the help of the masses. The country has already suffered so much due to communal friction and the consequent divide. The wounds inflicted in some of the worst communal flare-ups like the one that rocked Gujarat have not yet been healed.

Unfortunately, no credible attempts are being made to bring back harmony between the communities which co-existed happily for centuries. Making matters worse the economic downturn accentuated by drought has placed enormous strain on the people. Regrettably the BJP is unaware of the dimension and depth of the brewing crisis. Perhaps, it cannot help this ignorance for it never felt the pulse of the people. But the Congress party has a commitment to the people. It is this commitment that inspires us at all times.