Baptism by fire for Rahul Gandhi after LS disqualification
Photo credit INC India
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, March 24: For long, principal complaint against Rahul Gandhi by Congress workers was his lack of interest to hit the street. He embarked on ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at a time when a concerted campaign was launched to free Congress from Gandhi family. Within a short span of time, Gandhi has brought most of the Opposition parties together to think of a collective strategy.
After Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla acted with an electric speed to disqualify Gandhi from the Lok Sabha membership following the Surat Court conviction of the former Congress chief, most of the Opposition parties, barring ‘NDA Plus (BJD, YSR Congress and TDP)’ and Trinamool Congress, have not wasted time in condemning the action in the strongest words.
A few weeks ago, the Opposition parties wanted future without Congress. But now they by all accounts are compelled to discuss the future course of actions with Congress. Gandhi may have just given a new leash of life with his brash and brazen attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by launching no holds barred attack on the Central government.
“We welcome statements of all Opposition parties against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. Now the coordination among the Opposition parties will be held outside Parliament,” said Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary and communication in-charge of the main Opposition party.
Political civility is now history. Without exception, all stakeholders are complicit in burying civility in politics. To call other a thief is a new normal in Indian politics. This is also a road that quickly leads to power.
Union Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi made light of the disqualification of Gandhi, claiming that 10 more leaders had met similar fate in the past for erring on their conduct. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has launched campaign to personally attack Gandhi, calling him ‘Jaichand, which is synonymous with a betrayer.
Before Gandhi, there had been precedents of political leaders escaping the punishment of defamation by apologizing to the aggrieved persons. Gandhi willfully chose not to apologise in the defamation case before the Surat Court.
In 2014 Modi gave the slogan of ‘Congress mukt Bharat’, but the prime minister is now staring at the prospect of a Congress-led Opposition pitted against the BJP in the 2024 general elections. “They keep abusing us all the time. Martyrs’ blood flow in our veins,” said a livid Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
About The Author
