NEW DELHI: Prominent Congress dissident leader M.L.Fotedar on March 21 attacked the Congress high command, saying that the party “can be rescued” only by a leadership “which is decisive, dynamic and endowed with a clarity of vision.”
Undaunted by Congress President P.V Narasimha Rao’s threat of impose disciplinary action against erring party men, Fotedar charged that “Inactive and directionless, the Congress Party is being deliberately driven into the morass of frustration and decay.”
Fotedar, who was dropped from ‘the Union Cabinet in the last reshuffle and has been masterminding the dissident activity, said” We must recognize that in the absence of such great leaders like Panditjt (Jawaharlal Nehru), Shastriji, Indrajit and Rajivi, it is imperative that we have a functioning central leadership.”
In a Sharply worded statement, Fotedar, a former aide of Indira Gandhias well as of Rajiv Gandhi, remarked that “a paralyzed Congress Party at this crucial juncture of our history, far from being able to play its destined role, will prove to be a major liability to the country.” Apparently referring to the perception that the party’s organization in the Hindi heartland was being given low priority by Narasimha Rao for “deliberate” reasons, Fotedar said, “It is our honest view that any attempt for whatever means and whatever motivation, to keep the party is paralyzed, nonfunctional and weak a5 it is today, constitute the most unpardonable act not only against the great Congress organization, but also against the whole nation.”
Obviously referring to a threat of disciplinary action, Fotedar said, “If sincere and dedicated Congressmen cry and beseech that the party and the country be saved from the looming catastrophe their voice cannot be silenced.”
Fotedar was also of the view that for the purpose of revitalization of the Congress, “a fulltime president is absolutely necessary to prepare the party for the upcoming elections and to meet the challenge of divisive and communal forces which are wittingly or unwittingly playing the game of hostile powers out to wreck our national economy, unity and cohesiveness of our economy.”
Stating that the demand for one Man One post was not aimed at “any petty factional objective,” Fotedar claimed that he had on several occasions requested Narasimha Rao to have a fulltime party President in the interest of the Party.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 26, 1993
