The Congress Party as the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the Indian State?

Abstract

The introductory titular deliberation whether the Congress Party or Indian National Congress (INC) could be revered to as the Creator, Preserver and (potential) Destroyer of the Indian State shall hint at a possible viewpoint from which this party can be examined. Readers familiar with Indian religions and mythology may immediately identify the aforementioned characterisation of the INC as an allegory of the famous Trimurti.2 Before delving into the role of the INC through the past decades it is worthwhile to highlight Sir Allan Octavian Hume, who is the author of the „awakening“ and rousing poem framing this article. His feats mark a seizable starting point from which the Congress Party set out in its quest to become India’s most dazzling political party. Well aware of the fact that there is no dearth of writings on India’s eldest party this article shall simply attempt to shed light on the Indian National Congress’ impact on forming the Indian State. Thereby the term ‘State’ shall be understood the way the Indian Constitution designs the Indian Republic which is a union of its various states. Through the Constitution the Constituent Assembly wanted to establish India as a democracy with a strong centre as well as with a strong secular bias. In this concept the people within India were recognised as one Nation, thereby juxtaposing the Indian against the Pakistani concept of Hindus and Muslims being two different Nations. Therefore, for our purposes, any of the INC’s impact on the structure of the Indian Union, secular set-up and/or democracy is seen as an action relevant for the situation of the Indian State.