congress-playing-politics-on-ram-mandir-not-bjp-says-party-veteran-shanta-kumar

In an exclusive interview with News Arena India, one of the senior BJP leaders in the country, Shanta Kumar, 89, spoke about the Ram Mandir issue and the changing political scenario in the country.

 

Shanta Kumar lives in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh.  He was the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 1977-80, with his second term as CM from 1990-92. He was Union Minister from 1999-2003 in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet.

 

Known for his plain speech in the BJP, Shanta Kumar is admired for his vision and tough administration and he is popularly referred to as ‘paani wala mukhyamantri’ in Himachal Pradesh. He is also seen as a compassionate leader, who brought policies like Antyodaya Ann Yojana for the country to reach out to the poorest of the poor. He spoke to News Arena India at his residence in Palampur.

 

Q. What is your understanding of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya?

A. It is an achievement, particularly because Ram gave us cultural nationalism (Sanskritik Rashtrvad), which has not been given by the BJP or any other political party. Only Ram gave it, who left Lanka of gold and returned to the motherland, describing it as more beautiful than heaven.

 

This is Rashtrvad. It has a broader spectrum. Even in a country like Indonesia, Ram Leela is done. I also quote Vivekananda on Hindutva, who said it is a way of life (Although, the condition of the temple is not there)

 

Q. Who is playing politics on Ram Mandir?

The resolution on Ram Mandir was adopted by the party’s national executive in a meeting at Palampur in June 1989. I was the state BJP President then. The BJP carried forward the issue in the country. Four BJP governments faced dismissals over it after the 1992 incident.

 

Today it is the BJP-led government in the Centre. So it’s true that the BJP is bound to get the benefit. It is the Congress party, which is playing politics on Ram Mandir, not BJP. Congress had a great opportunity. They should have accepted the government’s invitation to Ayodhya.

 

Q. How did you see the dismissal of your government in HP along with three others in the country in the wake of the Ayodhya incident in December 1992? 

A. The governments come and go. The Janata Party government in Himachal faced major defection in 1980 and I, as Chief Minister, did not make any compromises to save the government although my friends offered me help. I refused to be a trader.

 

Our government was in the minority, so I submitted my resignation to the Governor and went to watch the movie ‘Jugnu’ in the theatre. I celebrated the resignation. When I lost my first election, I came home and had my favourite food. I did my duty honestly and whatever happened after that, I accepted happily. 

 

However, when the BJP government in Himachal was dismissed after the Ayodhya incident of December 1992, it left me a bit unhappy. Not because I lost power, but because in November month, it was decided to construct Vivekananda Hospital in Palampur with the help of Apollo group with a commitment that it would be completed in two years. The hospital project got scuttled after the dismissal of the government.

 

Q. What do you think about Himachal’s progress over decades and the Chief Ministers in this small state?

A. Himachal Pradesh fortunately is a developed state of the country and is among the three top states. Every chief minister of Himachal significantly contributed to this journey. But I give much credit to Dr YS Parmar, founder chief minister of Himachal, who had a great vision.

 

In those days, people used to laugh at him when he talked about apples and roads. Now you see, no other hilly state has roads like Himachal Pradesh. All CMs have played their part significantly in HP.  The credit also goes to the people of Himachal, who are honest and hard-working. The bureaucracy is good here compared to all other states.

 

Yet, when I met the industrialists at the investor meeting in Dharamshala a few years ago, some of them came to me and said, “We want to come to Himachal. You just end the red-tapism here.”

 

 

Q. How about politics in Himachal Pradesh?

Politics in Himachal Pradesh was value-based for a long time. In earlier times, when the Chief Minister used to present a budget in Vidhan Sabha, the opposition party always praised it for good points first and then gave its critical comments. Things have changed now. Loktantra has become Virdodhtantra.

 

Nowadays, if I praise Pt.  Jawahar Lal Nehru, I face criticism in my party. Politics has degraded in the entire country.

 

In the past, politics was for the country, now politics is for votes. It is painful. The BJP did not come into politics to only form the government, our purpose was to build the society. 

 

 

Q. There is a transition in the political leadership in BJP and Congress. How do you find the younger leadership?

A. Transition is the speciality of democracy. Every party goes through this phenomenon. The Sukh Ashray scheme of the present Congress government headed by Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in Himachal Pradesh is very good. They are doing well on the Antyodaya concept, which I also took up as a priority.