Opinion: Nation pays the price for diminishing conduct of opposition parties

I wonder that how human psyche and desires across different time zones resonant with each other. These days, whenever I look at the political slugfest in India, an anecdote from Mahabharata looms in my mind. Before the famous war at Kurukshetra, Vidur told Dhritarashtra, "Lord, your desperate attempt to put your son at throne will not only eradicate you and family but the worst thing is that nation and people are paying and will pay a hefty price for unjustified and directionless ambition of yours."

This so very well outlines the current days Congress party/Gandhi scion in particular, and also the other opposition parties as well.

Two pieces of news over the past week defines the very mood of politics in the nation and demonstrate the issue mentioned above. First, budget session of Parliament was washed out because of the sheer skirmish between ruling party and opposition parties. Second, when so-called Dalit activists hit the road after a Supreme Court verdict on SC/ST Act, every political party came to fore and tried to extract some political gain.

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Rahul Gandhi in the process hit an unprecedented low. He, in a tweet eventually ended up applauding crowd involved in acts of vandalism on the streets and encouraging them. He lied through his teeth as he linked the whole issue with Modi government whereas it was a verdict passed by the apex court. Reinforcing such divides in the society for political mileage would be no less than ominous for the country.

In Congress, the desperation for coming back to power and to establish Rahul politically is so strong that righteousness and virtuousness have no space now. No matter how sinister the narrative is if it gives some political gain it is on. The nation would pay the price.

This is the nadir of parliamentary democracy these days. In a democracy, opposition parties play a big role in this system as they play (supposedly) part of a conscience-keeper and keep the government in check. But this rule has completely vanished over the past few years. Bid to scuttle whatever government does is the current era's conscience-keeping.

It is sad, extremely sad for one of the largest democracies in the world. Our politician of this generation needs to look back and learn some lesson from our own past, from our earlier parliamentarian.

During the time of Nehru, C Rajgopalachari (popularly known as Rajaji) became a very strong critic of Nehru and his policies during later years. But Rajgopalachari always maintained that there were differences in the ideology only and Nehru was still the best man for the job. When Nehru died (Nehru was 11 years younger to Rajgopalachari), Rajaji broke down. He said that he opposed Nehru for the various national issues but it was Nehru only who was capable to solve them.

When India decimated Pakistan during 1971 war, the whole opposition was queued up behind Indira Gandhi and applauded her unequivocally.

I remember that during Indira's last stint as the Prime Minister in 1980-84, despite a very bitter past between them during 1975-80, the relationship between Indira and opposition leaders were reasonably amicable.

However, it was during the reign of PV Narasimha Rao, the bipartisan in Indian politics was at its zenith. In 1994, Narasimha Rao sent Salman Khurshid and opposition leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee to argue India's case at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva. Vajpayee's articulateness proved to be astonishingly effective and resulted in the withdrawal of the Pakistan-backed resolution against India. Narasimha Rao minced no words in praising Vajpayee’s efforts.

The deterioration started primarily in 1999 when Vajpayee assumed power. During the UPA's reign in 2004-2014, the situation was no better either but it has literally plummeted vertically ever since Modi has come to power in 2104.

In its bid to revive itself in Gujarat, Congress played an ominous Patel, Dalit, OBC card in Gujarat election. Society would pay a heavy price for such divides nurtured by Congress and other opposition parties for the years to come. Parliament is not being allowed to function session after session on frivolous reasons, on the issues which are state's matter most of the times. There is hardly any great parliamentarian or statesman among current day’s opposition parties, as we had in the past.

The nation is suffering because of political ambition of the politicians. As famously said that, at times good thing comes with few negative riders. So democracy is good but these are the perils associated with it.

The onus is on us the voters to understand this game and don't let politicians take us for a ride.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the authors and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)