Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar singing the RSS anthem in the assembly reflects the ideological ambivalence within much of Congress cadre. Congress during the freedom movement was a movement, rather than a political party, open to all hues of ideological inclination.
At a time Hindu mahasabha and the communist party members were both in the congress. The only demand was commitment to the national movement. Gandhi ji brought in symbolic scaffolding and praxis, around charkha, satyagraha and constructive programs including cleanliness and anti untouchability campaigns. This gave some ideological training to the people.
As the generation from the freedom movement retired, Congress remained an umbrella organization but now without ideological anchoring. The top leadership though remaining with the Nehru Gandhi family was ideological grounded.
It wasn’t until narendra modi’s bjp took power, that ideology became central to the political discourse. The manner in which it captured the institutions and propagated its ideology, especially Hindu supremacy and anti minority sentiment came as a shock to the ideologically uninitiated.
It is in this scenario that Rahul Gandhi took up the cudgels of an ideological contest and not a simple political contest fought through elections. His most difficult task though has been convincing his party about the ideological nature of the crisis and taking them along.
Until now the congress has not managed to put up a strong ideological challenge to the RSS/BJP combine. Sometimes its leaders are seen courting bigoted godmen and sometimes avoiding defense of minorities. It is only the steadfastness of Rahul Gandhi that , convinces the people of Congress’ ideological commitment.
DK shivakumar is known to be close to Rahul and he singing the RSS anthem singing paeans to Hindu rashtra is damaging. If done without any political intent, it is naïveté, not expected from someone reputed to be the most politically astute in congress.
