Post-Pulwama: The tough questions Rahul Gandhi must ask PM Modi now
In my previous column, I lauded the Congress President, Rahul Gandhi, for his years of participation in peoples' movements. Whenever, whoever has been in distress, protesting on the streets, facing police lathis and bullets, he has been there. I pinned my hopes in him to lead the nation out of its current regressive communal darkness, to a liberal, secular future — but within a week, he has already disappointed me.
Post the Pulwama terror attack, Rahul Gandhi gave a press statement in measured tone and words, extending his unequivocal support to the government in any action it may take and pledged that no other discussion would happen for now. The Congress party stands united with the people of India and would not be indulging in a political slugfest over the attack, was Rahul’s firm message.
He has gone silent since, except for tweets now and then. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who took charge of the campaign in East UP, cancelled her first ever press conference and the same has not yet been rescheduled.
While both Priyanka and Rahul’s actions were applauded for their graceful statesmen-like response post-Pulwama, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah came under fire for giving election speeches barely hours after the attack, politicising the Pulwama tragedy.
Given how public perceptions about Modi had been fast changing with electoral defeats in the Hindi heartland, a revelation a day over the Rafale controversy, a north-east burning over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, and allies falling out one after the other, clearly Modi’s image was fast disintegrating into nothingness by February this year. Suddenly, everything changed with the Pulwama attack.
Rahul Gandhi's silence is now coming across as a bit of a let-down. It is commendable that the Congress party did not want to indulge in politics at a time of national mourning. However, the truth is, our nation has shown great strength and fortitude in tragedy. But Rahul's prolonged silence is giving the impression that the Congress party is lost on narrative. It is time for Rahul to break his strategic silence and sense the public sentiment. The public has moved from the immediate shock and deep despair to seeking revenge and asking hard questions. Rahul Gandhi should come out of this hibernation and lead the Opposition voices from the front, raising pertinent questions — already abuzz on Twitter.
These include:
1.). Barely a week after the Pulwama attack, when the nation is still grief-stricken but also anxiously waiting to see some action against Pakistan, what was the need for the Prime Minister to break protocol and receive the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the airport with unnecessary hugs?
The visuals of Modi standing at the feet of the aircraft stairs from which alighted the Prince, and Modi enfolding him in his arms, seemed to me absolutely abhorrent at a time when anti-Pakistan emotions are so high. Does it not hurt the nation’s sentiment that a person who called himself an Ambassador of Pakistan, who is allegedly behind the murder of a journalist and supposedly terror funding, who just pledged US$ 20 billion in aid to Pakistan, is being given full state honours — even before any solid talks had taken place regarding Pakistan-sponsored terrorism?
Is this Modi’s idea of taking strong action?
2.). Why has the Prime Minister remained silent, even as nationwide attacks against Kashmiri students, traders and academics are reported? Whenever any nation goes through a national crisis or is hit by a national calamity it is the first and foremost duty of the head of state to appeal to the public to maintain calm and peace and not take law and order in their own hands.
Why has Modi not done this yet?
Not a single of his public appearances or a tweet since the Pulwama attack carries an appeal to the people of India to maintain peace and harmony.
Is this omission deliberate — or did this need just slip his mind? 94 per cent of the 661 people who voted in a Twitter poll believe that this silence is deliberate because communal tension apparently suits Modi’s politics.
In the aftermath of the 2002 train burning in Godhra, Gujarat, Modi allegedly broke procedure, reportedly transferring the deceased kar sevaks' bodies to Ahmedabad. Reports suggested these were allowed to be paraded without cover, thus whipping up public anger. The bodies were allegedly later handed over to the VHP and Bajrang Dal members.
PC Pandey, then-Commissioner of Police of Ahmedabad, had apparently written to the government not to transfer the bodies but the final decision was purportedly taken by the then-chief minister. Arjun Modhwadia, former President of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, stated on Twitter that during the Gujarat riots too, Modi apparently didn’t make any appeal to the people to maintain peace, law and order.
PC pandey,The then CP of Ahmedabad written to Govt not to bring victim’ dead bodies in https://t.co/x96mtDfyRR Modiji took decision, only to promote disharmony!The Amicus Currie oF SC Raju Ramchandan recommended 2prosecute Modiji for inflationary speeches under under IPC 153A
— Arjun Modhwadia (@arjunmodhwadia) February 19, 2019
3.). When would we have a credible explanation on who was responsible for the massive security failure in India’s intelligence that led to the Pulwama attack? As much as we want to blame Pakistan for the ghastly attack, isn’t it also a fact that Jammu and Kashmir is under President's Rule — so the central government is directly responsible for border security? In which case, exactly whose failure is it?
In 2018, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi had asked the same series of questions that chief minister Modi had asked of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his 2014 campaign trail. “When the nation’s borders are under the central government’s control, then how do terrorists enter the nation? How do they lay hand on arms and ammunition? Those must be coming from foreign land, so who should be held responsible if not central government,” Modi had asked.
It is time now for Rahul Gandhi to come forward and ask these questions.
4.). Lastly, Rahul Gandhi should put the focus back on the Rafale deal and Mr Anil Ambani. News has emerged that the Supreme Court has reportedly found Ambani guilty of contempt of court for not honouring the undertaking given to the court to pay Rs 550 crores to Swedish telecom firm Ericsson. He has reportedly been ordered to pay Rs 453 crore to Erricson within four weeks, failing which he’d have to face a three month jail term.
What would be the impact of this decision on the Rafale deal? Should someone facing such charges be allowed to remain a defence contractor of India? Does it look good for us that the man whose telecommunications company apparently turned out to be such a failure would make defence equipment for our armed forces? If the Navratna company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was judged too incompetent to be chosen as an offset partner, as reportedly suggested by Nirmala Sitharaman, is Anil Ambani competent?
It's time for Rahul Gandhi to ask.