No clear leaders have emerged from the anti-CAA movement. However, the grand old party has not been able to take advantage of this opportunity and fill the leadership vacuum

The anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests have entered a critical phase, with the courts taking cognisance of them. However, as is the case in India, the judicial process is taking time and most likely we have a long wait ahead of us before a verdict is delivered.

So far, the protesters have remained leaderless and without any organisational strength. But the brutal police crackdowns on the demonstrators in Delhi and elsewhere have earned them the sympathy of the masses and helped the agitation to expand to other parts of the country. Though in some places they are becoming violent, by and large the demonstrations are peaceful but going nowhere.

The JP movement threw up many socialist leaders like Lalu Prasad, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and so on, who became regional satraps later. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal emerged from the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement. Though the issue is emotive, so far no leader of significance has emerged from the anti-CAA movement. In the absence of effective leadership and dedicated workers, it risks fizzling out.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Opposition, particularly the Congress, of instigating these protests, the grand old party has not come to the forefront in a more aggressive manner, like the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left parties have. The Opposition parties now have the opportunity to use these protests to take on the Modi Government. But they would have to play a more active role instead of giving the anti-CAA protesters tacit support, the way they have been till now. It is clear that the movement calls for a mature leadership to handle the issue in a pragmatic and peaceful way. 

Already Delhi has recorded 47 deaths in the clashes between pro and anti-CAA protesters, which also left  nearly 250 people injured. This mindless violence is not going to take us anywhere as the Government is determined not to back down on the CAA issue. And, even if the Government decides to negotiate, with whom will it confer? No clear leaders have emerged so far. This is where the Congress Party is missing a golden opportunity. Despite being the oldest national party in the country, it has not been able to seize the moment and lead the protests. This is largely because of the leadership crisis within the party.

Second, it is unable to build a credible secular narrative stressing the point that it was the Congress, which made a major contribution to the framing of the Indian Constitution. It has been unable to cash in on the freshness given to the idea of secularism by lakhs of protesters reciting the preamble of the Constitution.

Third, the Congress is not clear about its ideological narrative while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been able to project its Hindutva ideology successfully.

Currently, the Congress is in power in seven States, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry and Rajasthan. It can easily make an impact at least in these States. Several non-BJP Chief Ministers, too, have declared that they will not implement the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in their States.

However, the Congress is unable to build on this and get support from  Opposition leaders. Its president Sonia Gandhi convened a meeting of 19 Opposition parties before the Budget Session last month but major parties like the TMC, the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and even its ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), stayed away.

Earlier, Sonia declared, “The Congress Working Committee must categorically declare that millions of Congress workers will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of India in their struggle for equality, justice and dignity.”

The party also held flag marches on its 135th Foundation Day on December 28. Congress MPs in both Houses wore black badges while attending the President’s address to the joint session. Sonia led a protest in the Parliament complex to express solidarity with the anti-CAA protesters.

A high-level Congress delegation called on the President and urged him to intervene and withdraw the CAA. But, the question is, whether these efforts are enough and if they have made any impact at all apart from the BJP accusing the Congress of instigating the stir.

The problem is that the Opposition remains divided and it will have to counter the forceful campaign of the BJP and the Modi Government, which could generate a Hindu backlash. The BJP has mobilised the Sangh Parivar to run counter campaigns to convince people about the need for the CAA. The Modi Government is also trying to counter the negative and unflattering publicity in the foreign media on the riots and other human rights issues.

It was not flattering that on the day of US President Trump’s impeachment  vote, the three most influential newspapers — The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal — had India on their front pages with critical and unflattering stories.

With the second part of the Budget Session beginning on Monday, there is still no evidence of Opposition unity.  Leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati are not willing to work under the Congress’ leadership. Even the Left parties are unhappy with the Congress for going to the President alone. It appears to be a missed opportunity for the Opposition, including the Congress, as the issue is emotive, sensitive, political and social and needs to be sorted out at the earliest.

(The writer is a senior journalist)