Ananth For India
Ananth KumarDuring 1990 – 91, when the Ramajanmabhoomi movement was at its height Advaniji was on a tour of Kolkota. As part of his programme, he was addressing a news conference. And media asked a straight question to him. “Mr. Advani, what is the specialty of BJP?” What is the USP of BJP? You say that you are a party with a difference. And what is the differential point that makes you unique? The workers with Advaniji took out their writing pads expecting a longish answer with analysis by ideologue Advani. But to everyone’s surprise the answer was brief and crisp. He said ”we are a Nation First Party. For us not power, nor pelf, not wealth, but when it comes to the crux, nation is first.
National interest is first.
Nation First is the driving is the motivating ideal that drives and steers its policies and programs. In early 50s, Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee said, “Ek Desh Mein Do Nishan, Do Vidhan, Do Pradhan Nahi Rahenge, Nahi Rahenge. Kashmir is the integral part of India. And he sacrificed his life for the national integrity.’’
Nation First.
In 1974-77, the country witnessed the JP movement, experienced the dark days of emergency and the struggle for democracy. Once again, for Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the erstwhile Bharatiya Janata Party, it was democracy against dictatorship.
Nation First again.
Then came 1989 and there was an unprecedented movement spearheaded by Shri L K Advani on the national canvass much bigger than the freedom movement, Ramajanmabhoomi. Shri L K Advani redefined the national politics by his blitzkrieg Ramarath Yatra from Somanath to Ayodhya. For the first ever time the pseudo secularism was exposed. True secularism was put forth. And the spirit of cultural nationalism was heralded. One people, one country, one culture cutting across caste, sex regions, languages, India is One. Culturally, emotionally.
Nation first again.
In 1998, under the aegis of statesman turned Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, BJP lead NDA came to power at the centre. The Congress hegemony of unipolar politics on Indian subcontinent was dismantled in 1997. But every such effort remained short-lived. But under the great leadership of Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, chiseling a 23 party coalition the NDA government for six spectacular years, created a stable pole of non – congress good governance. Pokhran, Golden Quadrilateral, India Resurge Bonds, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Kargil Victory, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Teleconnectivity, port – rail -connectivity – air connectivity, all were established. FOREX reserves, FDI inflows, Low inflation, no price rise, increasing exports, buoyant industry and booming economy became the hallmarks of the new renaissance of India.
National security, good governance and all round development became the mantra. Caring and forward looking government was the instrument. India for the first time after its first tryst with destiny was on to the Express Highway to become one of the superpowers on the global centre stage under Vajpayee India had arrived. Again Nation first.
Now dear friends, everything is falling apart under UPA’s misrule. The troika of Manmohan Singh, Chidambaram, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has tolled the death knell of India’s well being. The internal security is in jeopardy. The national economy is in abyss. The agriculture is limping. Food security is in peril. National Integrity and harmony are on the brink because of the divisive vote bank appeasement politics of Congress lead UPA. The Prime Minister’s authority has been degraded. He is merely an office not in power. The unconstitutional authority is reining the roost of the rule. The only way forward, the only solution the only way of hope is Advani lead BJP NDA, A determined leader and a decisive government with Nation first as its heartthrob which can once again galvanize the entire country, arrest the degenerating fall make a turn around and once again march towards second renaissance with a clarion call:
Nation First.
