Rahul Gandhi may not have had a strategy for the upcoming election in mind while criticizing the Modi government in the United Kingdom, but that is probably why the BJP – which wants to project Narendra Modi as a global leader in the 2024 general election – is so Looks pissed off.
Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi. (Photo Credits: Social Media / Edit: The Wire)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several of his ministers are calling on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to apologize in the United Kingdom for allegedly tarnishing India’s image and seeking foreign intervention in restoring the crumbling structures of Indian democracy. The issue has increased so much that the proceedings of the House have come to a standstill in the budget session of the Parliament.
The all-out attack on Rahul Gandhi by BJP leaders started when he criticized the central government and its misuse of power while talking to journalists, academics, researchers and civil society activists during his recent visit to London.
While the Congress says that there is no question of any apology, the central government is trying to gain political mileage by twisting Gandhi’s statements and diverting attention from the Adani controversy on the same pretext, which the government is going to discuss in the first part of this Parliament session. But many questions were raised.
After all, what did Rahul Gandhi say in London?
Did he really ask outside countries to interfere in India’s internal issues, as claimed by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha?
Did he ‘insult’ India in London, as the Prime Minister is saying?
What were Rahul Gandhi’s statements?
Responding to a question at a discussion at Chatham House, a think-tank in London, he said, ‘Look, first of all, this is our problem (erosion of democratic institutions under Modi); This is an internal problem and it is India’s problem and the solution will be from within, not from outside. However, the scale of democracy in India means that democracy in India is for the global public good. It impacts far beyond our borders.
They said,
‘If Indian democracy collapses, it will, in my view, be a very serious, possibly fatal blow to democracy in the world. So it is important for you too. It is not only important to us. We will deal with our problem, but you should know that this problem is going to go global. This is not going to work in India only and what you do about it is definitely up to you. You should know what is happening in India – the idea of a democratic model is being attacked, it is being threatened.
However, the BJP chose one of his statements in particular to allege that Gandhi sought foreign interference in India’s internal affairs – something that, according to the BJP, compromises India’s sovereign position in the world .
Whereas Gandhi merely pointed out to the audience that Western powers like the US and Britain, who pride themselves on being the custodians of democracy, are ‘oblivious’ to the systematic erosion of democracy in India.
In the first program of Cambridge University, Rahul Gandhi said this:
‘Everyone knows and it has been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure, it is under attack. I am an opposition leader in India and this is how we work. What is happening is that the institutional framework which is needed for democracy – Parliament, free press, judiciary – just the idea of gathering, just the idea of turning the other way… all these are getting obstructed. The basic structure of our democracy is under attack. In the constitution, India has been described as a union of states and the union requires discussion and negotiation. It is fast coming under threat.
Similarly, at an event organized by the Indian Journalists’ Association in London, he said:
‘People don’t understand the scale of India and its democracy. So, how would you react if democracy suddenly disappeared in Europe? You will be shocked and your reaction will be ‘Oh! This is a big blow to democracy. But what would be your reaction if Europe’s three-and-a-half fold structure suddenly turns undemocratic? This is happening. And there is nothing in it that is going to happen in the future. It has already happened.
He said a similar thing at Chatham House:
‘Surprisingly, the so-called protectors of democracy, that is America, European countries, seem oblivious to the fact that a major part of the democratic model has become the same as before. The opposition is fighting and it is not only a fight of India, in fact it is a big fight, the fight of a large section of the democratic people.
In his speeches, Gandhi also mentioned that his phone had been under surveillance, and that criticism of the opposition had been silenced by the government’s use of its power. He alleged that controversial issues like demonetisation, problems related to GST, farmer laws or even Chinese aggression on India’s borders are not allowed to be discussed in Parliament.
Alleging that the alleged capture of platforms like media and other institutions by the Center is making it difficult for the opposition to communicate with the public, he said, “So, that stifling forces us to ask ourselves a basic question.” Kar diya… How can we communicate with the people of India when the media is biased and when the institutions have been captured? The answer we got within the Congress party was this padayatra (Bharat Jodo Yatra) across the country.
These criticisms may have struck a sore chord with the BJP, especially at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being projected by his party as a global leader who has projected India as a ‘Vishwaguru’. tried to show.
In fact, it is even possible that the BJP’s campaign for the 2024 general elections may center around similar claims.
Rahul’s view on RSS could also be the reason for BJP’s displeasure
One thing that may have upset the BJP is that Gandhi directly criticized the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in London, due to which Dattatreya Hosabale, the second tallest leader of the RSS, targeted him.
Many RSS leaders are also BJP leaders. In addition, the Sangh Parivar also has a large presence abroad and has been active in drawing attention to the BJP’s campaigns in India and creating a ‘larger than life’ image of Narendra Modi abroad.
In such a situation, Rahul Gandhi compared the RSS to the Egyptian Islamic organization ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ and described the Sangh as a ‘fascist and fundamentalist organization’.
He said, ‘When I entered politics in 2004, the democratic contest in India used to be between political parties and I never thought that the nature of this contest would change completely. The reason for this change is that an organization called RSS, a fundamentalist, fascist organization has basically taken over all the institutions of India.’
He added, ‘RSS is a secret society. It is modeled on the Muslim Brotherhood and the idea is to use democratic competition to come to power and then abolish democratic elections. It amazes me how successful they have been in capturing various institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, Election Commission and all institutions are under pressure, and are being controlled in one way or the other.
For the past several years, Rahul Gandhi has been continuously making such criticisms of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. His opinion was further boosted by the Congress during the recent Bharat Jodo Yatra. His statements in London were not new, except that he was speaking in front of an international audience.
Political analysts may ask whether Gandhi was wise to take her criticisms abroad, given that whenever she has spoken before international audiences in the past, she has faced similar attacks from the BJP. have had to face. However, while making such criticisms, Gandhi does not seem to care about such attacks on himself.
Many in the opposition to the government are saying privately that Gandhi and the Congress may need to outline their criticisms, especially when the BJP’s biggest recourse in the election battle is militant nationalism. With the Lok Sabha elections only a year away, critics feel the Congress may also need to devise some strategies to better focus on the obvious problems faced by the people under the Modi government – such as inflation, unemployment and decline in social harmony in India. What will be needed are issues that can bring Gandhi closer to the voters and his own party.
But such electoral considerations have not yet deterred Rahul Gandhi from being a straight talking leader.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s criticism has given the BJP another opportunity to deflect not only the opposition’s demand for a judicial inquiry into the Adani controversy and allegations against the Modi government over it, but also to defame Gandhi and the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Got a chance too.
(Click here to read this article in English.)
read this also…
Categories: India, Politics, Special
