In
this interface with The DayAfter Editor-in-Chief Sunil Dang and
Think Tank Director Yogendra Bali, former Prime Minister H. D. Deve
Gowda, expressed his sharp disappointment at the failure in several
sectors but also expressed hope in the future of India. He was
particularly amused and pained at the clamour for proving who was the
real author of the Metro-Rail idea in the Capital. He interrupted the
discussion for a few minutes, went inside and brought a copy of the
decision taken by his Cabinet giving the go-ahead for the construction
of the Metro Railway in Delhi. He said he was not invited for the
inauguration. We reproduce some extracts from the discussion with the
former prime minister, sharing his perspective, hopes and
disappointments.
He said: "You go back to the history of this
country from the days of Ghazni and Ghauri. This country has faced
several challenges. Whatever may be the present political atmosphere,
the fractured mandate by the people will continue. Whatever may be the
compulsions and constraints in the coalition era of today, the country
will be a guiding force in the comity of nations in the days to come.
India has got rich resources and talented people in every walk of life
with abundant common sense. Why do I use this term ‘abundant
commonsense?’ This country does not comprise only the elite class.
This country means 1,002 million people. In 1996-97, the literacy
percentage was hardly between 32 and 34. Indira Gandhi brought a
draconian law, the Emergency. Several persons from the highest strata
supported it. All this type of gimmickry went on. At that time more
than 65 per cent of the population of the country were illiterate. If
at all the country’s second freedom was achieved, it was because of
these people. These 65 per cent illiterate people reversed the system,
and brought back the second freedom. Referring to the verdict in
Gujarat in favour of the BJP with the thumping electoral victory of
the hard-liner Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, the razor-sharp comment
of the former Prime Minister was: "Whatever happened in Gujarat is not
going to be repeated in other States in the country".
Asked why he thought so, he said: "I’ll tell you
why. I am very clear in my mind. The pseudo-Hindutva wand adopted as a
last weapon has lost more than 28 by-elections in the last three
years. In some, cases, candidates have lost their deposits. Whatever
may be the misuse of the print or electronic media, they have not been
able to make their mark. They have not been able to maintain their
electoral base. That is why they adopted Hindutva as the last weapon
with the blessings of the Centre."
Deve Gowda insisted that "all these communal
eruptions were with the co-operation of the Centre. It had given them
some political mileage. At the same time, the Congress behaved as if
it was going to sweep the election (in Gujarat). See what had happened
in the previous election in Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress leaders
thought that Gujarat will also fall into their laps because of the
reputation they had made in J and K. The election battle was on
Hindutva. The Congress could have taken this issue very seriously by
taking the help of secular parties. It failed."
Analysing the future, or the shape of things to
come, the former Prime Minister said: "Every State has no Narendra
Modi. Every State has no scope to create incidents like the one that
took place on the Sabarmati Express. Who has done it? There are many
different versions. That is why I was the first person to demand an
impartial inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge. This is not what
will happen in other States. As I told you, because there is no
Narendra Modi. And there are different political parties. After
tasting blood in Gujarat, the parent organisation of the BJP, on the
first day of its working committee meeting,, party president Venkaiah
Naidu said: ‘We’ll go on the lines of Gujarat’. The second day the
Prime Minister tried to amend it."
Asked to look into the future, he said: "Having
tasted blood in the Gujarat election, the parent bodies of the BJP
like the VHP and the RSS have been threatening the BJP. The next two
or three months in the country will depend upon how the hidden agenda
comes out." He referred to the apprehensions and discomfiture of the
BJP allies like Karunanidhi and Chandra Babu Naidu and their
statements indicating they might opt to part company with the NDA if
the BJP was forced to pursue that agenda. Sharad Yadav had also said
that ‘if there is a change in the agenda we will be out’. He said:
‘These political events have significance to indicate how future
political happenings will be affected.
Deve Gowda said: "This is why I said this country
has a great future, whatever might be our present political
atmosphere."
He was pointedly asked the question: "With tall
figures like him, Chandra Shekhar and Inder Gujral, all on the side of
secularism, even leaving the Congress out, why was it that the secular
forces were always in disarray and those whom they considered
non-secular were always in a coalition mode?" Deve Gowda explained:
"Neither Gujral nor Chandra Shekhar, nor we are ever prepared to
compromise with fascist forces. Chandra Babu Naidu at this stage in
his State has his main adversary in the Congress. The regional parties
on their own strength and in their own States are in a position to
challenge the Congress.
One thing he said while parting: "I shall continue
in politics and serve the country but I no longer seek or look for an
office."