K.V. Seetharamaiah
In response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Lok Sabha that Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) would be reclaimed, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has challenged him to bring back PoK and Aksai Chin. While discussing the J & K Bills in Rajya Sabha, Shah read a quote by Nehru wherein he (Nehru) had claimed responsibility for the issue of PoK. Aksai Chin was captured by China in 1950s. Who was in power at that time? Was it not Jawaharlal Nehru? Chowdhury has plunged to such a low level that he seems to think that he is first a rival to Shah and then an Indian. When someone says something keeping the interest of the nation above, others should not keep political interest above the nation. People of Chowdhury’s ilk should close ranks and lend support to the statements and the action to be taken to turn the dream into reality. The challenge thrown to Shah strengthens and does not weaken the enemies. It is not merely the responsibility of Modi or Shah to get back what is lost. If the ruling parties and opposition parties are the two eyes of a government, then the opposition parties have also the responsibilities to join their hands in fighting the enemies to get back the lost territories. If the opposition parties are not willing to support the government in the fight against enemies, at least they would do well if they keep quiet to serve the interest of the nation. What is manifest in the challenge thrown by Chowdhury is that his happiness lies more in the futile exercise of the government to take back the lost territories than succeeding in getting them back. What was considered as impossible with regard to abolition of Article 370 enjoining special status to Jammu and Kashmir has been proved to be possible by the Modi government both in Parliament and Court despite Congress and gupkar consisting of 7 parties fighting tooth and nail against the efforts of the government. Congress fought in the court against Aadhar (Adhar act was upheld). In fact the idea of Aadhar was mooted by Congress only. Congress favoured the system of Talaq (held unconstitutional by the court), raised corruption bogey in Rafale (court found no corruption), fought against demonetisation (upheld 4:1 majority on 08/11/2016), objected to introduction of EVMs (case was dismissed), engaged more than two dozen lawyers to fight against the construction of Ram Mandir (court paved way for construction), tried to bring bad name to Modi in Gujarat riots (complaint was dismissed), opposed central vista (case was dismissed), PMLA (court upheld the Constitutional validity) and UAPA (court held mere membership of a banned outfit is also a crime) and attempted to stall the New Parliament building by Modi (PIL was dismissed). Congress and its allies parties suffered severe jolt as most of the cases filed against Modi and his government went against the petitioners. The Modi government would have lost legal battle in all the cases if the matter had been pursued with sinister designs. Congress and its allied parties lost legal battle in most of the cases because the legal battle was fought with political and personal interest in mind. Chowdhury does not seem to be willing to take back PoK and Aksai Chin because they were “gifted” to Pakistan and China during the tenure of Congress.