Letter
to Congress Workers
Dear
Friends
The
just concluded Parliament session will go down in the annals
of our Parliamentary history because of the dastardly terrorist
attack which took place on 13th December. It was not merely
an attack on the magnificent edifice, our Parliament House,
it was a vicious attack on a magnificent institution, the
symbol of all those values that we cherish, the symbol of
our vibrant democracy.
We
salute all those in the Security Department of the Parliament
House, the paramilitary forces and the Delhi Police who
laid down their lives in the line of duty on that dreadful
day. The task before the Central and State Governments and
all of us belonging to political parties is to ensure that
their families are given the support they deserve from a
grateful nation.
It
is distressing that the Government showed itself so ill-prepared
for the attack notwithstanding advance intelligence furnished
among others by our state government in Maharashtra. It
was the failure of intelligence which led to the tragedy
of Kargil. It is again the failure to act upon available
intelligence which lies at the root of the attack on Parliament.
At
this critical juncture, the need of the hour is for the
Government and all political parties to rise above partisan
considerations. The need of the hour is for all concerned
to desist from using the occasion to raise such contentious
issues that divide our plural society. This is a moment
when the entire country must stand together in solidarity.
The Government shoulders a major responsibility for creating
this solidarity. The Congress Party will back the Government
in its efforts to track down and bring to justice terrorists
who threaten the nation’s integrity today.
We
must keep vigil over the administrative, political and diplomatic
steps which the government takes to meet the needs of the
extraordinary situation. We will be very carefully monitoring
developments in this regard. The nation will rise as one
man to combat terrorism which has been ailing our country
for nearly two decades. No party has paid such price as
ours, in having lost Indiraji and Rajivji.
The
CAG report is conclusive and damning. Even in buying coffins
for our martyrs, this government has not been above board.
And instead of making a clean breast of its mistakes, the
government has sought to hide its weaknesses behind a smokescreen
of technicalities.
We
were ready for a full-fledged discussion on POTO. But that
was not to be so. None of the arguments we have advanced
outside the House in its regard has been convincingly refuted.
POTO, of course, did not stop the terrorists who attacked
Parliament in their tracks. We reiterate our principle objections
to POTO as unilaterally conceived by this Government.
The
inter-session period ahead of us is going to be a very busy
time for all of us. Elections are due in UP, Punjab, Uttaranchal
and Manipur. We will need the full support and cooperation
of all of you in ensuring victory. The Congress has always
been the party of all, but, above all, the party of the
poor. It is only by rededicating ourselves to the cause
of the poor that we can continue to enjoy their affection
and support
