Feb 23, 2025 07:00 IST
First printed on: Feb 23, 2025 at 07:00 IST
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There are weeks by which I really feel that Indian politics is as befuddling as a foul Bollywood movie. That is one in all them. Let me clarify intimately why I discover myself bewildered by what transpired within the week passed by. There was a exceptional reversal of roles between the BJP and the Congress celebration that you could have missed. Having reduce my political tooth within the days when Indira Gandhi was so obsessive about the ‘international hand’ that international correspondents wrote satirical poems about how if something unhealthy occurred in India — floods, famine, drought — you should all the time search for the ‘international hand’.
Final week, it was the BJP that appeared to turn into obsessive about the international hand on account of a remark made by Donald Trump. He mentioned that one cause why he had shut down USAID was as a result of it was spending cash foolishly, like giving India $21 million to extend voter turnout throughout final 12 months’s Lok Sabha election. This was pounced upon by BJP leaders and spokesmen as proof that George Soros was (but once more) making an attempt to exchange Narendra Modi with Rahul Gandhi. What USAID has to do with Soros is one thing I’ve not but labored out, however the BJP has turn into as obsessive about this aged billionaire as Mrs Gandhi as soon as was with the ‘international hand’.
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This newspaper reported on its entrance web page final week that the cash didn’t come to India however went, as a substitute, to Bangladesh. In any case, my restricted level is {that a} nation that hopes to take a seat on the excessive desk with the ‘viksit’ international locations of the world should cease being paranoid in regards to the international hand. Within the occasions when Mrs Gandhi noticed the international hand in all places, we didn’t aspire to ever turn into a developed nation. We knew we have been all the time going to be Third World (and third charge?), so the prime minister’s solely aspiration was to take away poverty. ‘Gharibi Hatao’ was the mantra.
Then, as I watched Delhi’s new Chief Minister being sworn in with pomp and ceremony final week, I observed one other reversal. On that stage within the Ramlila Maidan stood the BJP’s mightiest leaders, however though this was clearly a present of power, the supercilious vanity that outlined these leaders earlier than the Lok Sabha election was gone. This variation has been apparent within the Prime Minister’s manner ever since he didn’t return to energy with a full majority, however now it appears as if different BJP leaders have understood that Indian voters despise all indicators of vanity of their elected representatives. Has this occurred due to that stern message Mohan Bhagwat despatched after the Lok Sabha election? Or has it occurred as a result of there was severe introspection? I have no idea. However change there appears to be.
Because the Lok Sabha election, the BJP has received elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, however profitable Delhi was particular as a result of this victory got here after practically three many years. The BJP now guidelines 14 Indian states and its Nationwide Democratic Alliance controls 19 altogether. In these previous days, when the Prime Minister boasted of profitable greater than 400 seats and mentioned he had been despatched by God himself to save lots of India, there was a conceit in him that appeared to filter into the veins of the BJP. Now that he exhibits extra humility than earlier than, this message appears to have gone residence to the celebration’s different leaders, and its rank and file. Is that this why the BJP has made such an astonishing restoration that an India As we speak ballot exhibits that if a common election have been held right now, it could win a full majority by itself?
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The Congress celebration, for its half, has been exhibiting indicators of vanity and entitlement that always make their chief sound as if he has already turn into prime minister. Rahul Gandhi has been strutting about like a peacock ever since he doubled his celebration’s seats within the Lok Sabha and managed sufficient to lastly turn into Chief of the Opposition. However, as a substitute of exhibiting grace and humility in his new position, he continues to make fees of non-public corruption in opposition to the Prime Minister. And he makes them with the petulance of a schoolboy who has didn’t get the marks he anticipated. Discover that from Modi’s very profitable go to to the US the one factor that Rahul discovered to touch upon was that Modi didn’t reply a query about Adani.
It’s not simply Rahul Gandhi, however his Mummy who’s behaving as if she as soon as extra guidelines India. When requested to touch upon the President’s deal with to Parliament, she mentioned it was so lengthy and boring that the President herself appeared exhausted by the top of it. ‘She regarded drained, poor factor.’ Not smart to talk this manner in regards to the President of India, however not good for Soniaji’s personal picture. It makes her sound as if she believes she is entitled to talk this manner. It displays that very same previous vanity that individuals have been completely fed up with on the finish of her reign because the kingmaker who may appoint and sack the prime minister.
Till the Lok Sabha election, it was Narendra Modi who had such an exalted sense of energy that he elevated himself from mere mortal to messenger of God. That didn’t go down properly with the voters. Current elections point out that the Gandhi household’s vanity shouldn’t be standard both.
