Dear Editor,
Acharya Pramod Krishnam has been expelled from Congress for ‘indiscipline’ for making repeated statements against party. His ‘indiscipline’ or ‘fault’ was mainly for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His praise for Modi was for the consecration of Ram temple at Ayodhya. Acharyas or seers interested in politics generally find political abode or asylm in BJP which is Hindu-centric unlike Congress and its other allied parties which are non-Hindu centric. The case of Krishnam was like “odd man out”. After expulsion for a period of 6 years, Krishnam has vowed to stand with Modi in all his life. Krishnam has thanked for “relieving him”. If he had been uneasy at his stay in Congress, what had prevented him from leaving the party? What was the need to face expulsion which is an ignominious exit? When he had contested from Congress party ticket, he had lost the election. He had nothing to lose if he had parted his ways with Congress. But the party has something to lose with the loss of vote not only from him but also from his followers. The loss of one single vote to a party is a gain of another party. Then the difference of votes between one party and its rival party would be two in the election. Tendering resignation would have been certainly better than facing ouster from the party. “What constituted anti-party activity” in his case? Krishnam has expressed that he wants to know if taking Lord Ram’s name was anti-party activity? Was going to Ayodhya anti-party activity? It was party line not to go to Ayodhya for consecration ceremony. Besides political life, every member of the party has personal life also. Congress party professes religious freedom to people of other communities but does not like the same to Hindus. Now Krishnam has been lamenting that the party should not have opposed the repeal of Article 370 and should not have supported DMK leaders when they compared Sanatana Dharma with dengue and malaria. Was this not enough for him to leave the party? It is all okay if Krishnam had supported the abolition of Article 370, Ram Mandir coming up in Ayodhya and disagreeing with the haters of Sanatana Dharma. But how can he expect the Congress party to be tolerant at the invite given by him to Modi to attend to the foundation laying ceremony of Shri Kalki Dham to be held on February 19? If he was determined to deviate from the line of Congress policies and programmes, why did he not come out? What has happened is good. Congress has been digging its own grave. If Krishnam is mentally with Modi and his programmes, he cannot have reason to regret. Expulsion is a blessing in disguise. At least he can be happy now. Congress sees fault in Krishnam supporting temple consecration but it does not see fault in Mallikarjana Kharge anticipating 400 seats to BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Congress did not take it seriously when Siddaramaiah was dozing in many functions. Sleeping or dozing by a government servant during office hours amounts to misconduct and indiscipline as per conduct rules. Does it not apply to rulers and law makers? Congress would have done well if it had issued notice to Krishnam before expelling him highlighting the anti-party activities he had indulged in. Obviously Congress found it difficult to mention in the notice that the support of Krishnam for Ram Mandir consecration is against the ideology of the party. After expulsion, he has blamed Rahul Gandhi for not taking on board in his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. It seems he has not totally come out of Congress mentally notwithstanding his expulsion.
K.V. Seetharamaiah