Special article on BJP Foundation Day April 6

Society is the strength of
an organisation
By Prabhat Jha

As Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajat Jayanti year ended, it saw the Party emerge as a strong and responsible political force in the country after some bitter-sweet experiences. By successfully piloting the NDA Government, the former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee shattered many a myth about the ability of a non-Congress alliance leading the nation and providing stability.

That period marked the transition of BJP into an all encompassing national party. From South to the North-East, where in the initial years it was difficult to set up even regional offices, BJP is now forming Governments. The possibilities of expansion are endless.

After successfully running a Government at the Centre with its alliance partners for the full tenure of six years, today BJP has its own Governments in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and a coalition government led by it in Jharkhand . BJP has also formed popular Governments with its alliance partners in Bihar, Karnataka and Orissa. Earlier, the largest State in the country, Uttar Pradesh was ruled by BJP and so was the economically well-advanced Maharashtra. BJP has been in power in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab too.

There are a few States like Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and one or two in the North-East, where BJP hasn’t been able to come to power yet. These are the areas where the Party has to work hard to establish its roots for expansion.

However, this does not mean that all goals have been achieved in those States where BJP has formed Governments. In fact, the Party must work equally hard, if not more, in order to justify the people’s mandate and live up to their expectations.

Our Objective “We have pledged to serve the entire nation and not just a particular community or section of the society. All countrymen are our brethren. We shall not rest till we have secured for our brothers, the glory of being the sons of Bharat Mata. We shall make Bharat Mata rich with resources in the truest sense. She will take the form of Goddess Durga to strike down the demons, as Goddess Lakshmi she will bless each one with prosperity and in the form of Goddess Saraswati banish the darkness of ignorance with the luminance of knowledge. Our penance will not end till the seven streams of harmony, hard work, equality, prosperity, knowledge, comfort and peace are flowing in the land stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Himalayas. Our efforts will have the blessings of the Holy Trinity—Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. We believe victory will be ours if we are determined to undertake this penance.” —Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay

Power -- an instrument for social progress

Securing the people’s mandate should be one of the goals of an organisation, but once that is obtained, it should not be considered as the attainment of its final objective. The struggle and sacrifices made for coming to power should not mutate into a race to profit from such victory. Electoral victory endows power, which is a constructive instrument for progress of the society as a whole and not just a chosen few.

Society is the focus of an organisation’s activities which can expand only if it takes all sections alongt. This thinking should influence the actions of those who rule. Power is not a source of wealth but an instrument to realise social welfare and elevation of the downtrodden. Efforts must be made to maintain a moral grip over power which should never become the sole focus or the master which controls the organisation. There should not be any conflict between the two. An understanding of coordination and balance is required in this context.

Change is the only law constant in this world. The nature of an organisation undergoes a metamorphosis when the situation changes after it attains power. This change is inevitable, yet, it should not affect the ethical character of the organisation which should adhere to its principles.

Worker defines the organisation

A worker is the foundation on which stands an organisation. Mahatma Gandhi was able to throw away the British because of the crucial part played by committed workers who turned the Congress into a movement.

Jaiprakashji became a Loknayak only because of the band of workers who pledged to fight the horrors perpetrated by Smt. Indira Gandhi during the dark days of Emergency.

Whether it is a Government or an organisation, it is fueled by the untiring energy of its ethical, devoted workers, which is why every organisation always has a place for them. The morally: strong worker is far more precious than a group of opportunistic, unethical individuals flooding the political arena which seems to be awash with the tidal waves of immorality.

Understanding Panditji’s Life “Deendayalji was made the National General Secretary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He was devoted to work and never considered himself a prominent leader even though he was one. In Sangh camps he used to work just like another karyakarta. He never discriminated against anyone. It was in his nature to mix with everyone, have food in their company and even gossip with them. His simple lifestyle was the reason for his popularity. The leaders working in political parties today need to understand Panditji’s life. He always practiced what he preached. This is the mark of a saint. Though he never donned a holy attire, he was a saint in the truest sense of the word because there was no difference between his conduct and what he presented before the society. —Late Shri Bhaurao Devras A worshipper of Integralism

After India’s independence, Congress remained in power for a number of years which mutated its inner democratic nature. The distinction between Government and the party organisation evaporated. The Congress President and party leadership was replaced by “High Command”. Decisions taken by other leaders became immaterial because the “High Command” had the final say in all matters. Unfortunately, most of the other political parties followed the same destructive trend.

So far as the Bharatiya Janata Party is concerned, it has neither moved in that direction, nor should it do so. When even some senior leaders have any difference of opinion on any issue, they all agree that whatever the Party decides in a usual democratic manner, shall be final and shall be a binding on all..

It is not possible to camouflage narrow mindedness with superficial display of liberality. That anomaly will be revealed and only a person of genuine values will stand the test of time. This is precisely why a statesman like Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee stands the tallest among all world leaders today.

Other politicians are aware of this reality which they find it difficult to imbibe, but it is much easier to overlook in their blatant machinations of compromise which lead them to sacrifice others at the altar of their ruthless ambitions in today’s cut-throat political arena.

People’s expectations

BJP is the only political party which has the moral strength to assert its ideology of sacrifice, struggle and renunciation. The claims of all other parties are hollow and carry no conviction. People at large have come to view BJP as the only organisation which practices what it preaches. They have certain expectations of it in the same way as they have of saints who give themselves up to meditation and spiritual thought. India holds such saints in high esteem and would never accept their degeneration towards materialism. BJP has attained the same stature in politics and the society would never expect anything less from it.

After its silver jubilee, the coming years will be another period of trials and tribulations which will only lead to further purification of the Party. This is crucial because the society is losing faith in politics, politicians and political parties. The most trustworthy element of our social structure has rotted away and fallen to the lowest levels of distrust to such an extent that people hesitate to admit that they are working in the field of politics.

BJP will eventually have to play an important role in this crisis. After all, it is no pilgrimage if it does not test the mettle of a pilgrim.

By believing that mere speeches, deification and mutual admiration are going to bring about a revolutionary change in the society and the Government, we are only losing sight of our objectives. We have lost our humility and the ability to live normally among the common people. Now everyone wants to have a privileged lifestyle, far removed from reality.

However, such persons are not the only ones who are at fault, the blame also lies with those who mock a simple lifestyle as a pretence to garner publicity and respect. If a senior leader wants to travel by second-class sleeper, he will not be held up as an example to be followed; on the contrary, he will be taunted as a ‘pretender’ who wants to become Gandhiji or Deendayalji.

The standards have changed. The manner in which society measures people has changed. People with power and influence are expected to lead extraordinarily privileged lives. If they don’t, they are deemed to be in violation of the new rules of conduct. Such twisted norms deter the committed from freely forging paths which others can follow.
In the immortal words of the poet Longfellow:

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight,

but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.

Today, no one wants to sacrifice their nights and yet they wish for a better tomorrow.

Widening gulf between leaders and Party workers

Every party worker has an expectation and the right to be treated well by the leadership. But this basic norm of civilised behaviour is often brushed aside in the increasingly materialistic outlook of leaders and their staff. All of them superficially evaluate the worth of a visitor, who is allowed to meet the leader only if he has something to offer, otherwise he is turned away on one pretext or the other.

The same situation prevails almost everywhere. That is why the tradition of full-time workers devoted to party work alone, which started from the times of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, is being carried on further by BJP today. Such committed workers carry great responsibility and their position should not only be ideal one. After all the ideals they set too make the leadership and the organisation ideal. There is a growing dearth of people engaged in the pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of society. The only few who dare, are made to abandon this quest in favour of worldly pleasures by those who wish to exploit these vulnerable souls.

The surrender to materialism is the first step towards the imminent weakening of an organisation. This should be avoided at all costs because when the standards of idealism break down, faith is the first casualty. Every party has its own traditions and policies. If attempts are made to push BJP into adopting the ways and means of, say, the Congress or communists, such an adventure is doomed to failure. The reasons which created BJP and made it acceptable to the people, cannot be overlooked or abandoned.

Those who ask the question—Why should BJP be chosen over other political parties?—must get a satisfactory answer. If we are able to resolve such queries, then time will definitely provide the Party an opportunity to serve the people again, otherwise it will be left behind.
BJP is the only party which is blessed with committed workers, and they hold the key to the Party’s success. We should look after them and not forget that even though a crowd may add strength to a rally, it cannot strengthen the organisation which stands squarely on the strong shoulders of its cadre. We should continue the process of building and caring for our cadre.

Keeping in touch with people

As a political organisation, the BJP should always have its finger on the people’s pulse by keeping track of their expectations, needs and the kind of work they want to be done. BJP should become the pivot of a people’s movement by moving focus away from paperwork and getting into action at the grassroots level.

The leadership should keep cementing their bonds with the people, not just for popularity, but for increasing acceptability. BJP leaders will have to find the strength to change the course of society for the better. This vigour should percolate down to each and every worker to such an extent that wherever he lives, neighbours should stand firmly in his support. Not only because he belongs to BJP but because he assimilates himself with them and their problems.

For all this to happen, it is necessary to continue spreading awareness, making localities the centres of constructive activity and connecting people through social engagements. When a person is involved in performing these public duties, his words are given a respectful ear by the society which eventually accepts his leadership.

Maintaining public trust

Relations created for electoral gains or mutual benefit and measured in terms of profit or loss are all short-lived. The only ones which survive are those based on sincerity. Inquiries into the reasons for the continued success of some popular leaders usually reveal that people don’t see them as politicians, but as family members. This level of public trust is not easy to come by and is won only if the organisation is committed to achieving its stated objectives of social service.

People’s participation can be invoked into tasks of social welfare, but that is possible only if they can be convinced of the accountability of those involved. The only obstacle is the newfound attitude of demanding rights instead of discharging duties.

Whether it is a family, society or the country, all of them are run on established lines and procedures. The same holds true for a political party like BJP. In order to administer, expand and lead the organisation, it is imperative that procedures be established and traditions are followed. There are those who do not believe in obeying norms because following procedures will eliminate the middleman.

It is not only beneficial but vital for an organisation to be managed on these principles because the habit of staying within specified parameters is dying out. In some places the much needed rules do not exist at all. Such mismanagement leads to disorganisation which is an ominous precursor to chaos.

Touring necessary for expansion

As our roles keep changing within the family, so do our style of working, attitude and behaviour alter in the corresponding manner. Taking the analogy further, we can see that the same is true ofr an organisation too. With the massive expansion of an organisation, the channels of communication become a decisive factor in taking the right decision. If the channels are clear, open and trustworthy, then central leadership can exercise proper control from a distance. But such is rarely the case. In almost all political parties these days,, decisions are taken by those who do not get full information before taking important decisions, and later, they scarcely get aware of the resulting impact. The main reason for this is the unwillingness to undertake extensive touring for getting acquainted with the ground realities.

Going on a planned tour to attend various functions is very different from embarking on a journey to work for reaching out to the cadre and building up a solid base for the organisation.

BJP is fortunate to have leaders who do not shirk their responsibility of moving out to knit the part together in far flung villages. This has yielded positive results for the organisation which is a network forged from these links of connections between people.

When the leaders and workers branch out to all parts of the country, the artificial barriers created by casteism, nepotism and opportunism disappear.

Power of social mandate

Haushangabad is a constituency in Madhya Pradesh from where BJP’s candidate Shri Sartaj Singh has often contested elections and won. As a representative of the people, he shares an excellent rapport with them because he genuinely works for their welfare.

In 1998 Congress leader Shri Arjun Singh decided to contest from this constituency. He was told by his advisors that since Thakur voters were in majority, he would win easily. Assured by this faulty analysis of the electorate’s mind, Shri Arjun Singh launched his high-profile campaign with great fanfare and his son started touring all over the constituency like a prince, telling the people to vote for his distinguished father.

On the other hand, Shri Sartaj Singh did not need any hype to guarantee his victory. He knew the names of members of each family in Haushangabad because he had spent years working amongst them, struggling for them and keeping in touch with them with his regular weekly visits. Known as Babuji to them, he continued travelling all over the constituency in his quiet and unassuming manner.

Shri Arjun Singh’s high-decibel campaign managed to create an artificial environment in which even the local newspapers swung in his favour and convinced him that victory was a foregone conclusion.

However, the people had already decided. They looked up to Babuji as an easily accessible family member unlike Shri Arjun Singh who kept a distance and was always surrounded by commandos and not in touch with the people.

When Shri Arjun Singh’s son visited prominent Thakurs to ask for votes, he was given a ceremonious welcome but told politely that all Thakurs would be voting for Shri Sartaj Singh because he had always stood by them through thick and thin and was always available for each member of his constituency.

Such loyal support lifted Shri Sartaj Singh to a victory that crushed Shri Arjun Singh by a margin of nearly 50,000 votes. It also proved the undeniable power of communication with, and struggle for the people. Shri Sartaj Singh’s humility and simplicity played an important role in the outcome of that election.

The fact that in the entire constituency, there were less than ten Sikh families demonstrates how regular contact with people creates an unbreakable bond which transcends all divisions of religion, caste and community. Touring undertaken to enthuse the cadre and interact with the masses builds interpersonal and ideological bridges connecting the people with their representatives.

BJP has a long list of committed workers who understood this definition of communication. They are the ones whose unflagging energy powered the Jana Sangh and whose sweat and tears enabled BJP’s lotus to blossom.

Dialogue energises the Organisation

When an agency conducts a survey, it sends out its agents to different areas for seeking answers from the people by asking them predetermined questions. This entails travel, in order to meet the respondents, and a specified guidelines for collecting responses.

This is precisely what those the helm of affairs should do too. They should keep in touch with the rank and file so that the organisation remains responsive to them. Such dialogue between leaders and workers also facilitates proper evaluation which prevents breakdown of communication caused by hierarchical distances.

Distance creates misunderstanding which outlives the persons who are its victims. It leads people to work against each other. Misunderstanding dies a natural death when communication is kept alive. But this is not the only factor which saps an organisation of its vitality. When a person’s moral compass does not point in the right direction, he succumbs to temptation or frustration, and starts working against his colleagues.

From an organisation, both these aberrations can be corrected when the blockage of misunderstanding is removed from open arteries of dialogue which carry the lifeblood of information and ideas.

Conduct of party workers

As the Party has grown, the duties of BJP karyakartas have become significant. They can no longer be constrained by comparisons with workers of other parties. They are no longer ordinary political activists but members of a responsible national political party. Everything they say and do is noticed and it has a ripple effect on politics of the nation. It is important to realise that party workers have different roles when the party is in Government and when it is in Opposition. Their behaviour should take into account this important difference. They cannot behave like the Opposition when in power and neither can they afford to act like the Ruling party when in Opposition. Conduct must befit the situation.

BJP karyakartas have an ideological bond with the Party and therefore, react emotionally at times. But this does not give them a licence to open a front against their own people. Party leadership should attempt to understand the nature of karyakartas. The leadership should remember that a mishap can occur the moment we cease to be alert and vigilant. Party workers should be handled with care, and for this the senior leaders should recall the days when they were in the same position and had certain expectations from those in authority.

All members of the Party should strive to avoid pomposity and verbosity. It is best to remain firmly grounded in reality and that lends credence to their words and actions.

Convergence of views

For every decision taken in an organisation, there are both positive outcomes and negative fallouts. Therefore, proper caution must be exercised in considering views from all quarters prior to reaching any final conclusion. All sections bound to be effected by that decision should have a say in it. This gives depth to every decision which commands commitment from everyone. Those of divergent opinions too eventually accept the majority’s will.

Fair leadership is BJP’s hallmark

Leading an organisation is no easy a task as the path is littered with obstacles. People who run political parties like gangs never face such problems because whatever their Supreme Leader decides becomes law. There is no scope for questioning their decision which is final. If anyone dares to do so, his objections are crushed beneath the juggernaut of party machinery.

BJP differs from others in this respect because its functioning does not revolve around personalities. The party accommodates and gives voice to everyone with a valid argument. This has often created conflicts which were eventually resolved in the healthy tradition of democracy.

People’s movement strengthens Organisation

BJP is the only embodiment of internal democracy, inspiring leadership, fair policies and committed workers amongst all political parties. This is the truth, but others cannot be restrained from making similar claims. That is why BJP should endeavour to continue winning people’s trust through public movements in States where it has Governments, by making good the election promises which brought victory.

If we mould ourselves according to the people’s expectations and needs, they will lift us to greater heights, but if we fail, then we will have to account for the mandate we secured.