This is what politicians are about, leaning where it benefits them.
It was year 1998.
BJP was single largezst party and NDA was the strongest alliance in Loksabha. Vajpayee was elected as the PM. Confidence motion was put before the house. Congress and CPM had joined hands to vote against NDA government.
Leaders of both parties were sitting together and attacking BJP NDA. Whenever Congress leader spoke, the CPM leaders were thumping the desks and vice-versa. Whenever a leader from NDA was attacking Congress, leaders from CPM were counter attacking fiercely. All ‘secular’ forces were united to dethrone the Vajpayee government.
Veteran leader George Fernandes was defending the government. He said ” Speaker sir, I want to inform you what a strong organisation has to say something on Congress party”. He took out a book while speaking so and started reading.
“Congress party is the fountainhead of corruption…(big shouting from congress benches)… The British left and the Congress party replaced them. Over the past 50 years, Congress has established ever new records in corruption. (again big shouting from congress )
Congress ministers have often been found embroiled in several scams, including Mundra scam, Churhat Lottery scam, Bofors scam, Sukhram scam, Harshad Mehta scam, JMM Bribery scam and Hawala, that took place during its regime. Congress has corrupted and misused every institution of the Indian democracy.”
At this point, both Congress and CPM got charged up and said “Speaker sir! Please ask the honourable member to name the source. We can’t allow him to read from any unnamed document. Please restrain him.”
George Fernandes said “Please don’t get impatient. I’ll definitely name the source. But first let me complete what it says. It says, “The Congress party’s record on Secularism too has been chequered. At various times in history, Congressi goondas took active part in riots and killed people. 3000 Sikhs were butchered by them on streets of Delhi and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi watched it silently.”
Big shouting and noise again from benches of Congress and CPM.
George Fernandes, “Just give me two minutes… and then I’ll reveal the source”
He continued to read from book “Speaker sir, it says, “No country in history has ever progressed with bad governance and excessive corruption as partners. None! The Congress suffers from this twin ailment since decades. Its survival is detrimental to the progress of India. Therefore, in the interest this nation, it’s important that Congress party is wiped out from this land for ever.”
Big shouting and noise again from benches of Congress and CPM.
“Speaker sir! It cannot go on like this. We will not allow him to speak any further if he doesn’t give the source he is quoting from.”
“Ok, Ok” said George , “There is more to read. But since our friends from Congress and CPM are so desperate to know the source, let me tell you what I am reading from…
…I’m reading from the *Manifesto of CPI(M) issued just before these Lok Sabha elections.”
Pin drop silence in the house. Leaders from Congress and CPM were starring each other..
George , “What happened, why silent ? You were shouting we want to know the source, we want to know the source. Once you heard the name of the source, your voices were mute. Shame on your selves ! Definitely you should be ashamed …”
“My friends from the Left! Either you don’t read your own manifesto or you don’t mean a word of it. In either case, you should be ashamed of yourselves. In the name of secularism, you have joined hands with Congress that has broken all records in corruption. I urge you to introspect to determine your future course of action. And if you do not mend your ways, your party will become history, sooner rather than later.”
R͎e͎s͎t͎ I͎n͎ P͎e͎a͎c͎e͎ G͎e͎o͎r͎g͎e͎ F͎e͎r͎n͎a͎n͎d͎e͎s͎. 🙏🏽