The Congress President and the Congress Prime Minister gave a clear signal to the Indian Republic on June 4th 2011 that the Congress had opted for the politics of confrontation against any form of social activism on anti-corruption issues. Desperate on being cornered by an unending cascade of corruption scams from the Congress Government’s charge and fearful of the widespread support on anti-corruption issues for Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, the Congress Government ordered at midnight a brutal fascist attack on the thousands of sleeping protestors at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi. The brutal police swoop down on unarmed and peaceful protestors did not seem to be aimed at Baba Ramdev but perceptionally at the thousands of ordinary Indian citizens “To Teach Them A Lesson” not to join such protests against unearthing of black money and anti-corruption. 

India was aghast as to how the Congress Government could unleash a brutal swoop down on unarmed peacefully sleeping men, women and children by its police machinery directly under the control of the Home Minister? India at large could not discern any provocations by the Ram Lia Ground congregation whose only fault was to respond to Baba Ramdev’s call to rally against the Congress Government’s inactivity on the longstanding issue of black money hoarded abroad by India’s political personalities, bureaucrats, and big business enjoying proximity to political leaders.

India at large was aghast at the midnight visuals that flowed from the brutal police swoopdown, so much so that the Supreme Court took ‘suo moto’ notice and has issued notices to the Government for explanation. 

As usual India’s Prime Minister disconnected from the aspirations of the citizens of the India Republic went ahead to justify that the Government had no option but to take stringent action to prevent destabilization. Destabilization of what, pray we may ask the Prime Minister?

Rahul Gandhi was also quoted in the media for having advocated strict and firm action against such protests displaying double standards of political behavior as only recently, in defiance of prohibitory orders, he held protests at Bhatta Parsaul against the UP Chief Minister.

Sensing widespread public outrage all over India over the Emergency 1975 repetition of Congress Government political behavior and suppression, the Congress Government and the Congress Party spokespersons went into an overdrive to justify the brutal suppression against unarmed Indian citizens participating in a peaceful protest. Their political brazenness and abrasiveness created further revulsion in the Indian public.

Blame was being shifted on the Delhi police machinery for the methods used against the protestors. What can the Delhi Police do if they in effect seemed to have been given orders that clear the demonstration venue of all protestors at any cost with an implicit message perceptionally that a lesson needs to be taught?

Attempt was made to project that the crackdown was ordered by the Government and that the Congress Party had nothing to do with it. This was a vain attempt by the Congress machinery to shield Sonia Gandhi from public criticism. The Congress Chief Minister of Delhi claimed that she was not kept in the picture or informed of the decision for a midnight crackdown. Discordant voices all, and all involved in shifting the blame. Arun Jaitley was right in asserting that the Congress Government and the Congress Party in this crisis was like ‘headless chickens’.

The Indian public is convinced that the decision to swoop down brutally on the Ram Lila Ground peaceful protestors was taken with the concurrence of the Congress President and executed by the Prime Minister.

That such action was taken against those protesting against black money hoardings puts the Congress Party and the Congress Government in further bad light.

The argument most widely used by the Congress ‘loose canons’ was that these demonstrations were a proxy campaign on behalf of the BJP and the RSS. Even if that be so what is politically wrong with it? The Congress Party does not have the ‘divine right’ to rule India for ever.

In my earlier Columns I had written that the corruption scams over the last year had dimished the stature of the Congress President and the Congress Prime Minister. The events of June 4, 2011 have seriously diminished them further in public perceptions. Both have lost their iconic mystique. 

The danger signal for the India Republic is that instead of opting for “Political Transformation” over anti-corruption issues, the Congress Party as a whole seems to have opted for the “Politics of Confrontation” over anti-corruption issues presently being spearheaded by social activists.