I am given to understand that Shashi Tharoor MP has, in utterances to the media, complained that he is not being accorded a position befitting his stature in the Congress party and reiterated that he has options. It is in this context that I am compelled to write this piece.
The great men and women who led the freedom struggle under the leadership of the Indian National Congress never put a price on their selfless sacrifice. They never sought anything in return for what they gave to the nation. Mahatma Gandhi spent his days in and out of jail, and undertook his satyagraha, which he paid for with his life, not yearning for a position either in the party or in government. Jawaharlal Nehru spent almost 13 years in different jails not pondering whether he would ever become prime minister. This is the history of the Congress.
Today’s leaders, whether in party or government, should not forget that they owe their standing to the selfless contributions of freedom fighters. Forgetting their sacrifices, and the sufferings of millions of people who struggle to make ends meet, political leaders wrangle for positions, in the hope of securing their futures.
Tharoor is not a traditional Congressman. He joined the party after his stint with the United Nations. He unsuccessfully vied to become secretary general of the global body with the help of the Congress government at the Centre. After joining the Congress, he was put up as the party’s candidate from Thiruvananthapuram for the Lok Sabha. Tharoor was given the ticket at the expense of other deserving Congressmen. He was later made a minister. Even after he put in his papers, following a controversy, he was repatriated in the ministry. He went on to win the Thiruvananthapuram seat another three times as a Congress candidate.
It is common knowledge that he won last year’s general election with the help of minorities and the poor fisherfolk, who are traditional supporters of the Congress, and not on the strength of his personal ties with non-Congress supporters. When the Congress sat in opposition he was made chairman of key parliamentary committees, of course, in recognition of his merit. Yet, there was no dearth of meritorious persons in the party. In fact, Tharoor has no reason to complain as the Congress has perhaps given him more than what he deserves.
If Tharoor believes that he deserves more because of his knowledge of English and his contributions as an author, I can only say that he does not know much about India or the Congress. K Kamaraj, who had no formal education, was president of the Congress and a great chief minister. There is a long list of other leaders, with basic knowledge of English or no higher education, who were very successful as chief ministers and cabinet ministers.
It is not unknown to Tharoor that the Congress is engaged in a fight against forces of authoritarianism at the Centre and in Kerala. India has a prime minister who has taken a vow to free India of the Congress. In Kerala, the Congress is also battling an anti-people government. Instead of helping the party in its fight against these formidable forces, Tharoor has chosen to go public with his unjustifiable grievances and create an impression in the public mind that the party is breaking up due to internal dissension.
When Tharoor says he has options, he is suggesting that he is in the Congress with no principles or ideological commitment. Any person who believes in the ideals and principles of a party cannot afford to say that he has options. Perhaps, even when he sought the membership of the Congress, he had kept his options open. But, genuine Congressmen do not harbour such notions.
Tharoor, who aspires to lead the Congress in Kerala, is woefully ignorant of the situation in the state. The Congress has a strong base in the state, where Tharoor is still more or less a stranger. No doubt, Tharoor is a deserving candidate for chief minister, but there are other leaders, too, with a solid base in the party. He must remain patient. In fact, Tharoor’s claim for CMship is borne out of an exaggerated opinion of himself. He should remember that there are others who are equally, or more, qualified for the job.
(Views are personal)