In Congress lexicon, ‘progressive’ emerges as substitute for ‘secularism’
The word “progressive” is emerging as a substitute for “secularism” in the Congress lexicon after realising the party’s opponents have succeeded in defaming “secularism” as branding “anti-Hindu”. This change is seen in the Congress’ background paper prepared for the rank and file for the revival of the organisation.
The party does not want its workers to take up issues limited to “secularism”. It also thinks that the politics of “castes and religion “ could be checked through the “urban middle class youth”. Indian youth, which has attracted towards the BJP and regional parties like the AAP, could be brought back to the Congress by taking up their concerns such as “jobs”, it says.
The Congress opponents have succeeded in projecting the Congress brand of “secularism” is, in fact, “pro-minorities” and thus anti-Hindus. This perception worked in favour of the saffron party in the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly elections.
In the Hindi belt, the regional parties have succeeded in eroding the Congress’s support base among minorities by projecting themselves as the real protectors of minorities. The Congress’ background paper, prepared after the series of brainstorming meetings Mr Rahul Gandhi had held with the party leaders in smaller groups after the debacle in the general election, said: “While the Congress has historically been a broad national coalition, especially of SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities, the party has broad-based appeal which cuts across caste and religion.” Accordingly, the party must take up “all progressive issues” but not limited to “secularism of welfare for the poor”, it said.
The paper has been sent to all PCCs for discussion on grassroots level. They will have to complete this exercise by February-end and prepare a state-level paper on this basis. Its outcome would help the Congress in formulating its strategy and programme for the revival.
In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the party had used the “aam aadmi” term by coining the slogan “Congress ka haath aam aadmi ke saath”, which was the substitute for its historic “Garibi Hatao” slogan.
The Congress’ has not been able to analyse why youths are not connecting with the party. The paper says: “The Congress V-P (vice-president Rahul Gandhi) is a natural icon to rally progressive and liberal forces.”
With youths virtually deserting it in the last LS polls, the Congress is betting big on young voters in its revival plan to counter the Narendra Modi wave that has led to a trail of defeats for the party.
Six years after Mr Gandhi introduced election processes in the Youth Congress and the NSUI, a note sent by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to all state units chiefs to work out a revival plan for the party takes into account complaints of use of money power in elections for these wings of the party.
