REPUBLICAN . . . . . . . . . AND JUSTICE 153
Following is the text of Blue Print—
Chapter 1
How a Movement Becomes a Political Party
Indian Congress was established in 1885. Upto 1947 it worked as a movement for the achievement of Indian Freedom. It had no defined goal to start with. It began with the demand for good government. After some time it changed its goal. It defined it as self-government. British Political thinking divided it as self-government into two (1) Dominion Status and (2) Independence. By Dominion Status was meant independence with loyalty to a Common King. By Independence was meant independence without loyalty to the King.
For some time the Indian Congress was agreeable to Dominion Status. But a very short while, the Indian Congress in a very dramatic way passed in 1930 a resolution in favour of Independence which it got in 1947.
Upto this time the Congress was like an army recruited not for the purpose of carrying on Parlimentary Democracy but for the purpose of carrying on political warfare against a foreign government. Seeing this Mr. Gandhi very wisely suggested that the Congress be dissolved and the new political parties on party lines be formed for conducting the Government. But the leaders of the Party were ready in their tents with their clothes to take in their hands the reins of Government. They refused to listen to Mr. Gandhi’s advice. Ordinarily after peace the army which has fought the way is dissolved. For the simple reason that during a war standards of recruitment are lowered and everybody good, bad and indifferent is allowed to join. In the case of India the army is not only dissolved but is allowed to capture the Government.
We have had ten years experience of the Congress Government. One can say that it is not very credible. Time has come when Mr. Gandhi’s advice be taken seriously and we proceed to form another party which would work as an Opposition Party.