While the Congress is in the midst of setting its house in order in Gujarat as a pilot project, the party is increasingly witnessing emerging streaks of identity politics within its local leadership, much to the chagrin of many ground-level workers.
"For quite some time we are seeing the rise of identity politics in the party," said a leader from Saurashtra. "The leaders are now increasingly representing their own communities rather than the general people as was the party tradition," he said. The leader may not be all wrong.
Party members point out that when a recent controversy concerning a Patidar girl in Rajkot erupted it was the Congress Patidar leaders of the region who reacted sharply. When a Dalit man was murdered in Amreli, it was only the Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani who spoke up against the crime. In fact, Mevani also expressed his angst against other leaders for not coming out in support in the case.
"These are not isolated incidents and we are increasingly seeing such examples in Congress where a Patidar legislator would only speak about the Patidars; Jignesh or Shailesh Parmar, (both Dalit leaders) will talk of Dalit issues; Imran Khedawala or Gyasuddin Sheikh only will raise the issue of Muslims," said another young Congress worker from Ahmedabad. "This is a dangerous trend and is hurting the very idea of the party that has so far boasted of its inclusivity," he added.
"This is a growing problem in Congress," admits Imran Khedawala. "If there is an issue with the Muslims, it is always me or Gyasuddinbhai who are raising the concerns. Even when it comes to making representations to the government agencies for issues pertaining to Muslims, they are left for us to do," he adds.
"What is disturbing is that other MLAs who win with considerable minority voters support too remain silent on these issues and now there is growing uneasiness within the community regarding the same," Khedawala said, adding that the matter has been taken up with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
"Rahulji was not happy with it and told us that this will be looked into and rectified," Khedawala told ET.
"We have been dealing with internal fights for a very long time in the Congress that had weakened the party and now we have this growing identity politics that is focusing more on caste and communities; at this point, one truly does not know which one is worse," said the leader from Saurashtra.
"For quite some time we are seeing the rise of identity politics in the party," said a leader from Saurashtra. "The leaders are now increasingly representing their own communities rather than the general people as was the party tradition," he said. The leader may not be all wrong.
Party members point out that when a recent controversy concerning a Patidar girl in Rajkot erupted it was the Congress Patidar leaders of the region who reacted sharply. When a Dalit man was murdered in Amreli, it was only the Dalit MLA Jignesh Mevani who spoke up against the crime. In fact, Mevani also expressed his angst against other leaders for not coming out in support in the case.
"These are not isolated incidents and we are increasingly seeing such examples in Congress where a Patidar legislator would only speak about the Patidars; Jignesh or Shailesh Parmar, (both Dalit leaders) will talk of Dalit issues; Imran Khedawala or Gyasuddin Sheikh only will raise the issue of Muslims," said another young Congress worker from Ahmedabad. "This is a dangerous trend and is hurting the very idea of the party that has so far boasted of its inclusivity," he added.
"This is a growing problem in Congress," admits Imran Khedawala. "If there is an issue with the Muslims, it is always me or Gyasuddinbhai who are raising the concerns. Even when it comes to making representations to the government agencies for issues pertaining to Muslims, they are left for us to do," he adds.
"What is disturbing is that other MLAs who win with considerable minority voters support too remain silent on these issues and now there is growing uneasiness within the community regarding the same," Khedawala said, adding that the matter has been taken up with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
"Rahulji was not happy with it and told us that this will be looked into and rectified," Khedawala told ET.
"We have been dealing with internal fights for a very long time in the Congress that had weakened the party and now we have this growing identity politics that is focusing more on caste and communities; at this point, one truly does not know which one is worse," said the leader from Saurashtra.
