Rahul Gandhi should 'be the change that Ashish Tripathi wants to see in the system'

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has completed his second phase of campaigning for the UP assembly elections. He started on November 14 from Phoolpur, the Lok Sabha constituency once represented by Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul's great-grandfather and India's first prime minister. November 14 was also Nehru's birth anniversary. The day and place was specially chosen to give the message that Rahul has the same secular and socialist leanings, the qualities which made Nehru a much-admired leader.

All through the campaign, Rahul Gandhi spoke on corruption in UP. During a Youth Congress meeting in between, he said that corruption was most rampant in political parties and only the youth could cleanse it and talked about merit playing an important role in elections instead of connections.

Sounds good. But the question is, do Rahul and his party act as he speaks? Can Rahul explain what role merit played to make him general secretary of the Congress? He should also explain to the people what steps he has taken to cleanse his party and its government of corruption? Is it true that the Congress has pumped in crore into the poll blitzkrieg? Is it true that the Congress has hired public relations and advertising companies to build 'brand Rahul' -- an angry young man out to fight against corruption with revolutionary zeal to woo the common man? What the Congress and Rahul don’t seem to understand that instead of a high-profile campaign, an honest voice of a simple old man, sitting on fast unto death for a cause is enough to awaken public conscience and build a movement.

People would also like to know if Rahul has taken any lesson from his great-grandfather, who not only used to welcome criticism of the opposition but also encouraged his criticism within his own party. Nehru used to meet every person protesting against him, engage in dialogue and offer solution? Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who took inspiration from Nehru and upheld democratic virtues up to some extent, while speaking during a no-confidence motion in Parliament, described the "importance of criticism" by quoting Indian Bhakti period poet-saint Kabir – “Nindak niyare rakhiye, angan kuti chhawai, bin pani sabun bina, nirmal kare subhaiy (Keep critics close as it would help you clean your conscience). But Rahul is sorrounded by sycophants.

However, what we saw on November 14 at Rahul's public meeting in Phoolpur was an insult to Nehruism -- khadi-clad Congress leaders, including Union ministers, thrashing a young Samajwadi Party (SP) activist who had sneaked into the rally ground in Phoolpur to show black flag to Rahul. The boy, a BA I student, was caught by police but still Congress leaders thrashed him. Was the act part of the "Jawab hum denge" (slogan coined by the Congress for UP elections) campaign or Congress leaders were trying to outdo one another to show who among them was more loyal to Gandhi? Or, was it a display of 'capabilities' of the Congress to show that it can replace 'Mafia Raj', the term Rahul used to describe SP and Bahujan Samaj Party rule in UP?

Rahul also asked people to shun communal politics and vote for development but is distributing tickets for UP elections keeping caste and communal equations in mind. Defectors are being preferred over loyal Congressmen. It’s a repeat of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Raja Ram Pal, who was a BSP MP but expelled from Parliament after being accused in cash-for-query scandal in 2005, was given ticket for Lok Sabha from Akbarpur constituency of UP. Pal won and is again in Parliament. Isn't this tantamount to demeaning democracy? In 2009, the Congress also fielded a former cricketer, facing life ban on charges of match fixing, from a communally sensitive Muslim dominated seat. Isn't it communalism and a sin in a country where cricket is considered to be religion?

Rahul was quick to reprimand party leaders against his government's decision on foreign direct investment in retail sector but why did he remain quiet when party general secretary Digvijay Singh went to Azamgarh to visit families of suspected terrorists killed in Batla House encounter. Singh raised questions over the encounter, which was against his government's stand which awarded Ashok Chakra, the highest civilian gallantry award, to police inspector MC Sharma killed in the shootout. Singh also called most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden as 'Osmaji'. Was it to appease Muslims? My Muslim friends were outraged as the comment gave impression that Muslims are sympathetic towards Osama and aimed to widen Hindus and Muslims divide.

What pained me more was the fact not only Singh but Rahul also did not visit Ghazipur, the district adjacent to Azamgarh, to pay tribute to legendary Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid (popularly known as Veer Abdul Hamid), who made supreme sacrifice in 1965 Indo-Pak war. He attained martyrdom while fighting in Khem Karan sector. His martyrdom played a crucial role in India's victory and he was awarded highest military gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra. The memorial built in his name was lying in neglect but was renovated this year. But Congress leaders did not visit the place. Doesn't it give a message that Muslims who laid down life for the country are not in the list of the Congress as they do not bring Muslim votes?

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's birth anniversary on November 11 is observed as National Education Day. This year, an open letter to children written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was circulated in schools across India. It narrated hardships Singh faced for education to motivate students. But what stopped government from making children aware of Maulana Azad's struggle? A great scholar, freedom fighter and founder of modern education in India, Maulana Azad lived in austerity and even refused to take country's highest honour Bharat Ratna, when he was alive, saying that those who select awardees should not be recipients. Later, he was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1992 posthumously by PV Narasimha Rao (not a member of Nehru-Gandhi family).

Rahul needs to answer these questions, if not in public, at least to himself, if he is serious about cleansing the political system. It’s also important because most political parties in India follow the political culture propounded by the Congress. Before accusing BSP of corruption, Rahul should  ensure that his party is clean. Before accusing SP of 'goonda raj', he should see that his party does not repeat 'Phoolpur' and does not give tickets to criminals and, above all, rather than running a propaganda campaign to discredit Team Anna, Rahul should acknowledge the fact that through his 'Janlokpal movement' Anna Hazare has pricked the conscience of  middle class and taught "aam admi" to question politicians and bureaucrats as they are public servants and not masters.

Rahul should remember what his mother Sonia said recently -- speeches alone cannot bring change. And, since he invokes Mahatma Gandhi in his speeches, remember what Bapu said "Be the change you want to see in the world".