Congress and Parliamentary Activity
BHANU SHANKAR YAGNIK
President, Bombay Pradesh Congress Committee
THE subject, "CONGRESS AND PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY " which I was asked to write on, is also, to my mind, appropriate to mark the celebrations of the birthday of a person, who, amongst our younger leaders, succeeded the most in reconciling the Congress organisational work with parliamentary activity. Shri Yeshwantrao Chavan's example constitutes a positive demonstration of the fact that, given a spirit of mutual trust and understanding, there can never be any conflict between the organisational and parliamentary wings of Congress—a conflict which, in recent years, has become a serious malady in some of our States. What is popularly known as "Chavan touch" in political circles is worthy of emulation in the solution of variety of problems which besets many parts of our country.
Prior to the Independence of India, the Indian National Congress had two-fold programme : firstly, to lead the Indian people in the struggle for freedom and secondly, to engage in constructive activities enunciated by the Father of the Nation for the economic and social regeneration of the Indian masses. Even when Congress entered Legislature or accepted office it did so mainly with a view to advancing the cause of freedom and raising the economic and social standard of the downtrodden. It came out of the legislature or gave up office whenever it felt that its fundamental objectives could not be served through them.
The Best Organised Party
But after the achievement of freedom, the role of Congress radically changed. Essentially Congress took up parliamentary role. In the wake of the withdrawal of the British power, the onus of administering the country fell on Congress shoulders ; and it must be stated to the credit of Congress leaders that they succeeded in giving best administration to the country, in spite of certain catastrophic events as a result of the partition, and in spite of the up-rooted millions in Pakistan, who crossed into India for succour and rehabilitation. The Parliamentary role of Congress has continued since then.