Congress’ forgotten heroes

Shrikant Verma, Bansi Lal Mehta, Ashok Chatterjee, Prem Swarup Nayyar and Lalit Maken are some of the names which shall always remain etched in the history of the Congress following its game changing split in 1969 and again in 1978.

- PANKAJ VOHRA

In any other party, the contributions of such soldiers would never be forgotten but unfortunately in today's Congress, there is hardly anyone who can recollect the contributions of these people, and many more, who have worked relentlessly to keep the party flag flying.

On Thursday, a memorial meeting was held at the Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya for Dr Shrikant Verma, a literary figure of great eminence, who joined politics and shaped the 1980 Parliamentary Party campaign of the Congress, which resulted in Indira Gandhi returning to power.

His famous slogan, "Na Jaat pe na paat pe, Indira Gandhiji ki baat pe, Mohar lagege Haath pe" became the catchword of the polls and enthused party workers across the length and breadth of the country to rally around their leader, thereby ending the short Janata Party rule.

Dr Verma was an intellectual giant who meddled in politics to demonstrate that literature and statecraft could go hand in hand. His deft handling of the campaign completely outwitted the opponents. His role in the victory was recognized and acknowledged not only by Indira Gandhi and Sanjay, whose selection of candidates led to a generational change in the Congress, but by every worker of that period.