The media has been buzzing after Rahul Gandhi’s impromptu
and sensational appearance at a Congress press briefing yesterday. He spoke for
a few minutes; but he generated opposition and media chatter lasting several several hours! Such is the power of this
man, a power he has a declared disdain for, that as soon as he makes a move, he
draws the attention of the entire world to himself.
Rahul Gandhi spoke what he had to speak, and left the scene
to enjoy the after effects. The media and the opposition were confused, not knowing
what had hit them. For a long time, they kept harping on the “Rahul v/s PM”
line, in a reference to the attack he had apparently launched on his own PM and
cabinet. An alternate theme was “Rahul the outsider”. Media sensationalism
being what it is, the raging topic of debate changed by the evening to “Should
the PM resign”. And lastly “Has the old guard (Sonia Gandhi) been replaced by
the new”. But just as media’s excitement was peaking, and the BJP was going
into some sort of a heady trance, the real import of Rahul’s statement started
to emerge.
First the PM’s statement from the US dashed all hopes for an
immediate climax. “The Congress VP has
also written to me on the issue and also made a statement. The Government is
seized of all these developments. The issues raised will be considered on my
return to India after due deliberations in the Cabinet”. There…..a cold wet
blanket on the public revelry that was going on! Prompting even a grudging
Tarun Vijay to acknowledge that the PM had behaved in a very dignified manner
(imagine this, from a BJP leader!).
As if this was not enough, NDTV soon got hold of Rahul’s
letter which the PM referred to in his statement. Barkha Dutt tweeted the
following lines from the letter “My views
on ordinace not in harmony with cabinet & core group. I have highest
respect for you….hope you understand the strength of my own conviction. You are
providing leadership in extremely difficult circumstances. I know my stand
would be exploited by our political opponents”. Now this letter was sent before his press conference
intervention, proving that a) he expected the opposition’s attack b) that he
had the highest respect for the PM and c) he knew the “core group” had taken
the decision. There was no attack on the PM at all. There was no “caught with
his pants down” embarassment that he had forgotten Sonia had blessed the
ordinance. There was no surprise that the BJP would immediately attack. Rahul
knew all this when he intervened. There was something smart going on! There was
an attempt to correct what Rahul thought was wrong. That leaves the opposition with
only a minor point to crow about: Why
didn’t he act earlier? Fair point, but it is hardly something that will
occupy centerstage for long.
What will occupy centerstage for long are the following
points, and this is where Rahul has really turned the spotlight:
1) Is
the opposition any different?: Read carefully, and you see a direct,
frontal attack on the opposition. TOI reports Rahul said “we (my organization) need to do this because of political
considerations. Everybody is doing this.
The Congress does this, the BJP does this, the Samajwadi Party, the JD(U) does
this”. Well, the Congress has now officially distanced itself from the
ordinance; and the Bill lying in Parliament as well. Will the others do the same? Can
they? (See point 3 below)
2) BJP’s
deceit won’t fly for long: The BJP claims that it has already distanced
itself from the ordinance. In fact, it was claiming that its “strong” position made
Rahul intervene. This is a typical BJP style, being technically correct but factually
wrong, for it is well known that the party fully supports the move to overturn
the SC order. It merely opposes the ordinance route! In recent TV interactions, its party spokespeople have
refused to clarify the party’s position on the issue; preferring only to
clarify their position on the ordinance. What will they do now? Ask that the
SC’s order is followed? What about the
All-party meeting in which all of them were united in demanding that the SC’s order
be scrapped??? It’s going to be
embarrassing for all!
3) The
BJP and its allies have the most criminals: Data freely floating on twitter
yesterday showed that the BJP had 31% of its MPs/MLAs (from 2004-13) facing
criminal charges, 13% serious charges. The same stats for the party’s most
reliable ally, the Shiv Sena? A chart-busting 75% and 31% (highest on both
counts, ahead of even Laloo’s RJD which has only
(!) 46% and 26% respectively). Its erstwhile partner of 17 years, the JD(U) is
3rd on the list with stats of 44% and 28% (and the two didn’t split
because of this!), while the one it is wooing, TDP had 36% and 14% facing criminal
charges respectively over the same period. The
Congress in contrast had a much lower 22% and 8%, occupying the 4th
best position in a table of 20 parties. Its allies, the NCP and RLD were
both better placed than BJP. In what
position is the BJP in to attack?
4) Why
is Narendra Modi silent? Its amazing how the one who cannot stop speaking
hasn’t spoken at all on the ordinance! He’s tweeted on everything from
“Congress mukt Bharat” to the Gujarati film “The Good Road” to repeated
references to some imaginary “BJP wave” to “welcoming the SC’s decision on
Right to Reject”, but he’s not spoken a word on this ordinance. Why
is the great leader so silent?
5)
Here is why Narendra Modi is silent: The
poor great leader will now finally have to sack his water resources minister
Babubhai Bokhariya for the verdict in the illegal mining case against him. If the BJP cared so much for the SC’s order
against convicted leaders, why did they not sack Bokhariya earlier? In
fact, why did they not sack their 31% leaders facing criminal charges? Narendra
Modi’s tolerance for corruption is already well established, what with his
smart maneuvers to prevent a Lok Ayukta from being set up in his state for 10
years, and with his refusal to sack Bokhariya. Guess what media will be asking next?!
Too much attention has been drawn to what the PM will do
next. Wait and watch. The PM will have a successful US trip, concluding some
important deals there. He will be publicly endorsed by Obama, no less, and
media will once again be guffawing about him. There will be no battle inside
the Congress, for the party knows how to settle such issues. But the battle
outside the Congress will now start in right earnest!
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