Congress and Future Leftism in India
R. K. KHADILKAR
M. P.
IT IS indeed difficult to characterise the role of the Left movement in the present context of our national situation. Nobody in the Left movement could have imagined that the transfer of power would be so peaceful and complete from British hands to the Congress leadership. After Congress assumed the reins of power, in the eyes of the Left, the national leaders were suspects. As a result, it was thought that the Congress would consolidate reaction and the Left will have to undertake the task of completing the unfinished revolution in the country. With this assessment of the situation, almost all the Left elements that were within the Congress at the time of transfer of power decided to severe their connection with the parent body and started functioning independently. But, unfortunately for the Left, the fears that reaction would get the upper-hand were belied largely because of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's far-sighted leadership.
Soon after, Congress decided upon planning Indian economy so as to accelerate economic development. Besides, at the Avadi Session, Congress adopted 'socialism' as its goal. This was perhaps another shock to the Indian Leftist Parties, as they felt robbed of their ideological clothes. Consequently, it became all the more necessary for the leaders of the Left to search for an ideological bearing for their survival.
Parliamentary system of Government and rapid economic growth generally do not go together. An under-developed country accepting Parliamentary institutions shall have to secure an agreement among all the political parties on the necessity and desirability of economic planning as an instrument of socio-economic progress. Some of the leaders of the Left who had grapsed this basic truth and had a deeper understanding of the socio-economic forces in the country could not fail to reach a conclusion that the fortunes of Leftism in India were bound to be adversely affected by the policy and programme adumbrated by the Congress. The compulsions of the situation in a developing economy of our country impelled the intellectual leaders with social insight and political courage to propound a thesis advocating the necessity of extending the areas of co-operation with the Ruling Party; but unfortunately they had to surrender themselves so as to fall in line with the rank and file—clamour for militant opposition to the Congress. Thus, the lesser lights of the parties who were most vociferous in their opposition to the Congress got the platform victory and leaders with vision and understanding were left with no other alternative but to toe the line of their own followers. In this predicament, efforts were made to bring about unity among the Leftists sharing common ideas which led to the emergence of the Praja Socialist Party.