Congress scion Rahul Gandhi is known for his catch phrases. He had used the suit boot ki Sarkar jibe against the Narendra Modi government last year when he charged the BJP government of being one unrepresentative of the common man: "Yours is” Gandhi said in Parliament “a government of big people, a suit-boot sarkar,” Rahu Gandhi had then said. Rahul Gandhi and his catch phrases
Much speculation exists because Gandhi has chosen to tread a path that has a few takers
Kumkum Chadha
Congress scion Rahul Gandhi is known for his catch phrases. He had used the suit boot ki Sarkar jibe against the Narendra Modi government last year when he charged the BJP government of being one unrepresentative of the common man: Yours is Gandhi said in Parliament a government of big people, a suit-boot sarkar, Rahu Gandhi had then said.
The obvious reference was to the expensive, name-striped suit the PM wore to much criticism during US president Barack Obamas visit to India.
Earlier this year, the young Gandhi lashed out at the Prime Minister stating that instead of fulfilling the poll promise of bringing black money back, he has brought schemes to convert that into white.
Modiji had said that he has 56-inch chest to fight corruption, but instead of bringing black money back, he brought a fair and lovely scheme to convert the black money into white, Rahul said, months before the Modi government announced demonetization of part of the Indian currency.
Fair and Lovely is the brand name of a facial cream that is propagated to lighter the skin tone of dark skinned men and women.
Rahul grabbed eyeballs and the suit boot ki Sarkar more than fair and lovely continues to resonate.
Jumlas or catch phrases are Rahul Gandhis USP. He has used them liberally in the past and continues to do so. Those more than the content of what he is saying get attention and continue to be quoted liberally.
However, of late, Rahul Gandhi has changed the narrative. Ofcourse his bete noire continues to be Prime Minister Modi but he has hit where it hurts the most.
Earlier this week, the young Gandhi launched a sharp personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, charging him with personal corruption. The information, he said, will explode the PMs balloon, which was why he was not allowed to speak in parliament on currency ban: My information is personal information on Narendra Modiji, which I want to put out in the Lok Sabha. I want to say it there as an elected member of parliament Gandhi said adding Read my lips... the PM is personally terrified of the information I have, we have. It is personal corruption of the PM that we have detailed information on.
The Opposition has been united on the issue of note ban. It had demanded that PM Modi must be present through the debate on currency ban and explain the governments decision. The BJP had shot back saying PM Modi was ready to speak but was not being allowed to do so by the opposition.
In the attack and counter attack and the din in both Houses of Parliament, debate was the casualty. Both houses were adjourned sine die with the debate on the demonetization inconclusive. A united opposition was seen taking on the government.
It was in this spirit of unity that they were flanked beside Rahul Gandhi in his sensational disclosure about Prime Minister Modis personal corruption. Equally it is strange that all of them feigned ignorance about Rahuls disclosure and the material he had indicting Modi: We dont know what he has was the common refrain of the Opposition and more importantly the Congress where no one knew what Rahul was talking about and alleging. Therefore as of now everyone is in the dark.
This has raised several questions. First and foremost on the timing of the so called disclosure. Rahul made this revelation two days before the month long winter session drew to a close. And he chose to do it outside Parliament on the pretext that the ruling party was not letting him speak.
To begin with it seems unlikely that Rahul Gandhi hit upon documents almost suddenly indicting Modi. Second, for major part of the session it was the Congress led opposition that obstructed the debate on demonetization. Gandhi could and should have seized the opportunity to speak rather than be part of the obstructionist brigade. Therefore to cry foul at the fag end of the session seems a bit of a stretch. Also there was nothing stopping him from taking the chairs permission to move a motion or state that he was to speak on a disclosure about the Prime Minister. By speaking to the press Gandhi had robbed the issue of the seriousness it deserved.
Much speculation exists because Gandhi has chosen to tread a path that has a few takers. Modis credibility and integrity, like former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is above board. Whatever the level of attacks on Singh may have been, the fact that he was imandar, honest, went undisputed. Every other charge including his being spineless stuck except the one about his being dishonest. On that there were no takers even among his bitterest critics.
So also with Modi. Every other charge including his being ruthless and dictatorial can hold but what cannot is his being corrupt.
Therefore when Rahul speaks of Modis personal corruption it raises eyebrows. It is a statement that has more disbelief than belief. It is not one that people would lap up like they would about many politicians across the board. In one sense it appears laughable or a joke as the BJP chose to see it.
In any case pitched against Modi, Rahuls credibility quotient is rather low. His silence over the alleged scams during the UPA rule and more particularly his brother in law Robert Vadra have remained in the realm of suspicion.
Between Modi and Rahul, Modi emerges clean as against Rahul Gandhi whose hand seemed soiled. This is not to suggest that Gandhi is personally corrupt because that is a charge that would cry for proof. One can only go as far as saying that he did little to cleanse the Congress of the rot. Therefore now to take the moral high ground and charge Modi is a move fraught with risks.
The onus is on Rahul Gandhi. He may have by-passed the Parliament and taken refuge behind they not letting me speak excuse, but he will have to substantiate the grave charge. He may threaten to bust Modis balloon as he is quoted to have said, but he will need to be careful about keeping his tracks sufficiently covered. Also he cannot lose time. The pressure is on him to first bring forth the charges and then prove them. Seems a tall order given the path he has chosen. It would not be enough to say that Modi is personally corrupt. Nor would it be to say that he has proof. If Rahuls calculation is that it is okay to say anything from a public platform and get away with it then it is grossly misplaced.
The strategy may be to bring Modi into the realm of suspicion and attempt to puncture his honest man image as also flag that all the hullaballoo about honesty is a sham and the drive against black money is not by an honest Prime Minister but a tainted Modi. Sounds fine but needs sustenance by way of hard proof.
Having jumped on the tiger and gone this far the evidence Rahul provides, if at all he does, will need to be solid. A wishy washy sheaf of papers will not do. Nor would his waving them from a public platform. Or crying hoarse about Modi being corrupt. Reading Rahuls lips, as he has asked the people to, is not acceptable. He has to come out loud and clear. And he has to sooner than later. Failing to do that or procrastinating would endanger his own credibility and turn the tables on him. So instead of damning Modi he would end up setting his own and the partys house on fire.
The writer is a senior Indianjournalist, political commentator and columnist of The Independent. She can be reached at: [email protected]
