I
THE 1991 ELECTIONS

The nation went to the polls in 1991 to elect the Tenth Lok Sabha. It was after a period of 16 months of darkness, drift and economic disaster. The Indian National Congress promised the people that it will get on with the task of rebuilding India. As the Tenth Lok Sabha convened, there was a pall of gloom. Shri Rajiv Gandhi had been snatched away cruelly. He fell victim to the most despicable act of terrorism. As in life, so in his death, he upheld the causes of unity and sovereignty at home and peace and brotherhood in the world. The Congress called upon Shri P.V.Narasimha Rao to shoulder the onerous responsibility of leading a Government which did not have a majority in the Lok Sabha. Shri P.V.Narasimha Rao, steeped in the Congress tradition of sacrifice and service, accepted the daunting task. In his first major address to the nation, he pledged that the theme song of his government would be Continuity with Change. Since 1991, the Congress has ushered in unprecedented change. Never before in the history of India has so much change been brought in so short a time. Never before in the history of the world has so much change been wrought with so little pain or suffering. How did the Congress work this near-miracle ? .

II
THE CONGRESS - A PARTY AND A MOVEMENT

Let us go back to that historic day when the Indian National Congress was born. The founding fathers of the Congress recognized that what the people of India needed was not a mere political party. Because no political party could unite within its fold the plurality and diversity of India. The Indian National Congress was, therefore, cast in a different mould, the mould of a national movement. Its purpose was to mobilize the Indian people into action and lead them to new frontiers. During the freedom struggle, the goal was Independence. During the early years of independent India, the goal was Unity and Sovereignty. During the years of nation building, the goal was Growth with Social Justice. After the wasted years of 1977 to 1979 and 1990 to 1991, the goal was restitution of a Government that Works. During the period 1991 to 1995, the goal was to re-establish a Stable Government and resume the task of nation building.

It is because of the support of the people that

• * a minority government could add to its strength and command a majority in the Tenth Lok Sabha
• * the nation could be pulled back from the brink of an economic catastrophe
• * economic reforms of an unprecedented magnitude could be unfolded
• * the pledge of ushering in Panchayati Raj could be redeemed and power given to the people
• * the world could be compelled to take note of India and her stable polity and resurgent economy

III
THE CONGRESS' RECORD

The Congress is a unique political party. It mirrors the basic ethos of a civilization that is over 5000 years old. It is the Congress that has created an India which is agriculturally prosperous, industrially advanced and scientifically developed. Above all, the Congress has maintained a commitment to democracy. Indeed, parliamentary democracy would not have taken root in India and nurtured, but for the Congress. Many other political parties are one-issue parties. Some exploit caste. Some exploit religion. There are parties which encourage fanaticism. The Congress has always rejected these divisive issues. The Congress reflects differing and divergent interests and reconciles them into a single harmonious national mosaic.

IV
THE CONGRESS THEME: STABILITY, NATIONAL SECURITY, HARMONY AND DEVELOPMENT

The Congress Party belongs to you. It belongs to you regardless of your caste or religion, color or race. It belongs specially to the poor, the neglected and the disadvantaged. It belongs to the worker and farmer. It belongs to the teacher. It belongs to the scientist. It belongs to the millions of ordinary men and women who toil every day. It belongs to the farmers and agricultural workers who produce record levels of paddy and wheat, pulses and oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane, tea, coffee and tobacco and a number of other crops. That is why the Congress has remained true to certain unchanging values. These are : ·

• Unity and Integrity ·
• Democracy based on the Parliamentary system
• Secularism · An independent Judiciary
• Freedom of Speech and Expression and Freedom of the Press
• Stability, social harmony and development

Neither victory nor defeat in an election has altered the Congress Party's allegiance to these values. Because these are the values inscribed in the soul of every Indian. Because it is these values which can enfold the plurality and diversity of India. It is not just unity in diversity; it is unity through diversity. The Congress alone provides the link between all communities and sections of society. The Congress alone represents the composite nature of our ancient civilization. It is the Congress, and the Congress alone, which mirrors this India. The Congress pledges that it will remain true and faithful to these fundamental values of the country.

V
CONGRESS PROMISES STABILITY

Stability is the plank on which rests good governance. It is the foundation on which rests civil society. There were the years in which the Congress was not in office in the Central Government. In 1977, the first non-Congress Government had the numbers on its side. Yet it failed miserably. Ultimately it fell. In 1989, the second non-Congress Government obtained outside support and thus claimed a majority in Parliament. It was an opportunistic alliance. The bubble burst in 11 months. That Government also fell. Neither their numbers nor their shifting affiliations could keep the non-Congress Governments going for a full period of five years. Voted back to office in 1991, the Congress has redeemed its pledge of providing a Stable Government. While the Congress remained united and strong, other political parties broke up. Several State Governments formed by other political parties crumbled. Through this period, the Central Government has been remarkably stable. It was not only a stability of numbers. It was the stability of policies and continuity of programmes. Indeed for some time it was stability in spite of the inadequacy of numbers, The stability envisaged by the Congress is a comprehensive one. It necessarily includeds

• :- i) National Security
• ii) Strong secular character leading to social harmony and cohesion.
• iii) All - round development and economic growth with social justice leading to general prosperity.

Each of the above three aspects is an important function of Stability. The Congress pledges that it will provide a stable government for the full period of five years in the Eleventh Lok Sabha. .