Ashwani Kumar : Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar is bringing back the Congress National Obligation for the party

Ashwani Kumar : Former Union minister Ashwani Kumar said on Friday that the Congress is necessary for an effective opposition in the nation but that the party has “somewhere lost ground.” He also stated that it is the “national obligation” of the party to recover. Speaking at the launch of his book “Guardians of the Republic,” Kumar said that generosity is the most crucial trait of democratic leadership.

“Largeness of spirit and generosity of heart are more important than narrowness of understanding. That’s the leadership style that Manmohan Singh exemplified. And Jawaharlal Nehru stood for that kind of leadership,” said Kumar, a veteran Congress politician. Additionally, he made it clear that he does not think any prime minister would do “everything wrong.”

“The perception that this prime minister and this regime are incompetent in every way is also untrue,” he said.

Kumar said, “I still have the greatest regard for the Congress party for its ideological orientation,” when asked whether his beliefs were still aligned with those of the Congress party, which he had left. Even its current leaders have my utmost regard.

“Even though I no longer belong to the party, I hold Sonia Gandhi in the greatest regard for her unwavering commitment to decency and civility in public life. I’ve known her for a long time, and I’ve never thought she was conceited. She has strong opinions. She has strong preferences and dislikes. I can agree to that. However, in public life, she stands for decency and decorum. And I have to give her one last, ultimate credit. She choose Manmohan Singh because of his decency and dignity when there were so many candidates to be prime minister,” Kumar stated.

When questioned about the party’s inability to beat the BJP, he said that it must examine itself. Without Congress, the nation would not have a strong opposition. Congress is a fantastic party. That’s a given. It continues to have an impact on the whole nation. However, it has lost ground somewhere, Kumar acknowledged.

Instead than criticizing the opposing parties, he said, “it must look inward for the weaknesses.” Additionally, Kumar said that the BJP is not required to support the Congress.

“Congress must look within and reflect in order to fortify itself from within. Rahul Gandhi, for instance, has the appropriate kind of heart. He’s an idealist. He represents the underprivileged. And that appeals to me. However, there is a problem with the Congress’s message. I’m not sure. I am unable to remark,” Kumar said.

“I am not the person to make judgments. They must find out. They are very intelligent individuals and leaders. The Congress has a national responsibility to strengthen and revitalize itself. And I want the best for it,” he said.

Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran and former Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur introduced the book. Neerja Chowdhury, a veteran journalist, moderated the event.

There were also former vice president M Hamid Ansari, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and late Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur. In response to the opposition’s accusation of “vote chori,” Kumar said that although it should be taken into consideration, the accusation loses credibility when governments are formed based on the outcomes of elections held using electronic voting machines.

“Every day, the opposition as a whole emphasizes, reiterates, and asserts that elections are being rigged. I haven’t truly explored it. I’m not sure whether EVMs can or have been manipulated. However, if the opposition has anything to say, it should definitely be taken into consideration, Kumar said.

“Those tasked with ensuring free and fair elections should take this possibility into consideration,” he said.

However, when a party only disputes the elections it loses, it loses its moral credibility. This is the case in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, where the Congress has formed the government after accepting a favorable result. He responded, “You can’t have it both ways.”

“I’m not suggesting that those who claim that elections are rigged are incorrect in the slightest. I’m just going to tell them that you have to walk the walk if you want to be morally superior. You don’t have any qualifications else,” Kumar continued.

Regarding the book, Kumar said that it discusses constitutional issues of democracy, human rights, and human dignity.
According to him, the book’s concerns are essential to India’s democracy and future. The book is a compilation of writings that examines what liberty, equality, and justice mean in day-to-day existence.