CNI News Desk
India’s journey as a modern nation-state is nothing short of a civilisational experiment uniting people of diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions under the banner of a secular democracy. However, recent political currents, polarising narratives, and attempts to redefine national identity on religious lines have sparked a metaphorical “war on civilisation in India” as Rahul Gandhi calls it.
This war isn’t fought with guns and tanks, it is a battle of ideologies, memories, and the foundational values upon which the Republic of India stands. As said by the famous political strategist Prashant Kishor, that BJP doesn’t want Indians to vote for them only but they want to imprint psychological dominance over Indians. BJP wants to decide everything for Indians, from food habits, clothes to religious sentiments.
At the heart of this ideological resistance is the Indian National Congress, a party that, for over a century, has upheld the principles of pluralism, tolerance, and secular nationalism. Particularly in the context of Jammu and Kashmir, Congress’s legacy and relevance today deserve a closer look. Why does India need Congress? More so, why does Jammu and Kashmir a Muslim-majority state scarred by political betrayal and misrepresentation, need Congress?
When India gained independence in 1947, it stood at a crossroads. The partition had created a new state, Pakistan, based explicitly on religious identity. India, however, despite its Hindu majority, deliberately chose not to follow this path. Instead, its leaders, especially those from the Congress party, envisioned a state that recognised and respected all religions equally as a secular state.
This vision wasn’t accidental; it was crafted with clarity and responsibility.
Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister and a principal architect of its secular foundations, stated: “We have to build a secular state with complete freedom of religion and equality of all communities.” Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, echoed similar sentiments: “The religious conceptions in this country are so vast that they
cover almost every aspect of life, from birth to death. If religion is allowed to invade political and economic spheres, then we shall have a society which is divisive and destructive.”
It was the Congress party under Nehru, Patel, Maulana Azad, and others that ensured India would remain a federal secular republic. Unlike Pakistan, where the state became
synonymous with religion, India maintained a respectful distance between faith and governance. This conscious civilisational choice distinguished India globally and built its image as a tolerant, multicultural nation.
India’s strength has always been in its diversity.
From Buddhism to Sufism, from Jainism to Sikhism, from Hindu temples to Islamic dargahs, India has nurtured traditions of mutual coexistence. The Congress party, rooted in the freedom movement, imbibed these values and wove them into the national fabric. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, who said “My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest shall have the same opportunity as the strongest,” were the moral compass for Congress’s vision. The party upheld inclusive nationalism and not Majoritarianism. It built institutions that catered to the aspirations of all communities, languages, castes, and classes. Under Congress leadership, India ratified a Constitution that protected minorities, gave rights to all citizens irrespective of faith, and ensured representation through democratic mechanisms.
Jammu and Kashmir: A Historical Commitment to Secular India
The question often raised, especially by certain media houses and political factions, is whether Jammu and Kashmir is truly integrated into India. But history itself stands in testimony to the state’s loyalty to a secular, democratic India. In 1947, the people of Jammu and Kashmir, under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah, chose India not because of religious alignment but because of a shared belief in secularism and democracy. When they tried to forcefully annex the region using militias, the people of Kashmir resisted. Again in 1965, during the Indo-Pak war, the population stood with India.
The loyalty was not transactional; it was ideological. The people of Jammu and Kashmir believed in a secular India where they would be treated equally, not judged by their religion.
Although having similar religious sentiments with Pakistan, J&K aligned with its political ideology. Unfortunately, over the last decade, this belief has been tested and tarnished over the last decade. With the rise of the BJP at the national level, a dangerous narrative has emerged, one that associates Kashmir’s Muslim identity with disloyalty. National media has played a complicit role in pushing this bias, portraying Kashmiris as “anti-nationals” and “threats to unity.”
The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, rather than being a step towards integration, became a political tool. BJP claimed that Jammu and Kashmir was now “fully integrated” with India. But the message sent to the people was entirely different: that their previous position was illegitimate, their loyalty was conditional, and their identity suspect. The psychological assault on the people of Jammu and Kashmir, both Hindus and Muslims was unprecedented. For the first time in decades, citizens were made to feel like outsiders in their own country.
Amid this backdrop, the Indian National Congress stands as the only party with a credible, inclusive vision for Jammu and Kashmir. Historically, Congress respected the special status of the state while encouraging its democratic institutions. It never questioned the patriotism of its people. Congress’s approach has always been nuanced and people centric not agenda driven. It recognizes the importance of restoring dignity, not just governance. It knows that development is not just about roads and bridges but about identity, justice, and mutual respect. Only Congress has the historical moral standing to reverse the narrative of suspicion and reinstate the people’s rightful place as proud Indians.
The region has always aligned with secular ideals.
Congress is best positioned to safeguard that legacy. Unlike BJP’s centralised model, Congress believes in empowering regional voices within a larger national framework, unity in diversity. Congress can counter the bias faced by Kashmiris across India, ensuring they are not judged by their faith or region. The divide created by politics must be healed. Congress, with its pan-India presence and secular approach, can foster genuine unity.
While regional parties have played vital roles in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, their limited scope and shifting alliances have eroded public trust. Some have leaned toward the BJP in recent years, compromising their secular positions for political expediency. JKPDP and JKNC have always asked for votes against BJP but eventually aligned with the party.
This alliance has not sit well with the people especially in the Kashmir Valley. It has created confusion and deepened cynicism. Meanwhile, the BJP, while popular in parts of Jammu, has failed to win hearts in the Valley and Jammu equally. Its popularity was largely due to anti-corruption rhetoric, which has also proven hollow over time.
In contrast, the Indian National Congress maintains a national vision with regional sensitivity. It appeals across communities. Even in the Muslim-majority areas, the Dalit, the trials and especially the middle class of the nation, its legacy of tolerance resonates more than regional opportunism or communal polarization.
Despite the hostile narratives, both Hindu and Muslim populations in Jammu and Kashmir have evolved. The people, more than the politicians, have rejected the politics of hate. There has been no major communal clash between Jammu and Kashmir populations despite political polarization created over the decade.
This demonstrates the deep-rooted secular ethos of the region, a testament to India’s civilisational continuity. But this harmony is fragile. It needs nurturing, not neglect. It needs representation that understands it, not exploits it. It needs Congress and more importantly India needs Congress.
Source: Kashmirpen