Prior to the 2019 General Election, the Congress had resorted to mudslinging against the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging large-scale irregularities in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets.
Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a ‘thief’, the Congress had abused Modi with slogans such as ‘Chowkidar chor hain’. It had termed GST as ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ and called the Modi government as ‘Suit-boot sarcar’. Ghulam Nabi Azad, then a senior Congress leader, had advised Rahul at internal meetings against calling a leader of the stature of the Prime Minister as ‘chor’. For this, Ghulam Nabi Azad was insulted and sidelined.
In 2018, the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the Modi government, saying that no irregularities had taken place in the Rafale fighter jets deal with France. In the General Election that followed, people defeated the Congress and Congress nominee in the traditional stronghold of Amethi was drubbed by BJP nominee Smriti Irani.
Today, a lot of developmental activity is going on across the country. The development of highways, ports, airports; construction of bridges, corridors; introduction of superfast trains, and excavation of tunnels are going on at jet speed.
Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile seeding has helped millions of people access financial services and benefits of welfare schemes. The Modi government took several measures to limit the adverse impact of Covid-19 on the economy. In all, 115 unicorns have achieved a total turnover of more than $ 350 billion. In respect of improving the purchasing power of people, India ranks third — after the USA and China. On the exchange rate front, India ranks number five.
At an election rally, the Prime Minister recalled how the Congress leaders had heaped abuses on him, calling him an insect in drainage, mad dog, Bhasmasura, Bandar Virus, Dawood Ibrahim, Hitler, Ravana, Duryodhana, bloodsucker etc., and wondered how many more such abuses were there in the ‘love dictionary’ of Congress leaders. The BJP brought out in June 2022 a 17-page document highlighting the abuses heaped on PM Modi on 80 occasions. Still, neither Modi nor BJP leaders filed any defamation case on behalf of the BJP or on behalf of the Union Government.
How can Rahul Gandhi defame Narendra Modi? Responding to a defamation petition filed by an MLA whose surname is Modi in court, the court gave its verdict imposing a two-year jail term on Rahul Gandhi, who had abused people having surname of Modi as chor.
In 2019, Supreme Court judge had admonished Rahul saying that criticizing PM Narendra Modi as ‘Chowkidar chor hain’ was not proper. Those who occupy important positions in politics should exercise caution while speaking, the judge cautioned. Consequently, Rahul Gandhi had to apologise. Even after that, Rahul Gandhi, over the past five years, has been attacking Modi, coining new words. Unable to face the BJP in the public domain, Rahul started personal vilification of Modi.
The Surat Court took a serious view of Rahul abusing all those who had the surname of Modi. Since Rahul was a sitting MP, his comments were taken seriously. If Rahul Gandhi were let off with a mild punishment, it would have sent a wrong message to people. The objective of the defamation case will not be fulfilled, the Surat court remarked. Rahul should have admitted his guilt before the Surat court. Instead, he proclaimed before the Surat court that he did not commit any mistake by abusing people having the surname of Modi.
Later, addressing the media, Rahul Gandhi said that he was not Vir Savarkar to tender apology. In fact, the then British government had punished Savarkar handing him a punishment for 50 years. He was put in cellular jail for 14 years, confined to a dingy room. He faced torture at the hands of the British. Political prisoners like Savarkar were used in place of animals to extract wood press oil.
As part of a political strategy, Savarkar, along with several Congress and Leftist political prisoners, signed on a template document urging the British to grant him freedom. Still Congress leaders and Rahul Gandhi have been slinging mud on Vir Savarkar, stating that Savarkar had apologized to the British. How atrocious!
Does Rahul know about the struggles faced by people like Savarkar to keep the country united? Did Rahul experience the difficulties that Savarkar had undergone? The Congress’ ally – Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, severely condemned Rahul’s remarks. What is damaging more is that Rahul and Congress leaders are now linking the punishment awarded by the Surat court to Rahul’s remarks against Adani.
In the wake of the judgment passed by the Surat court, Lok Sabha Speaker, as per rules, took action against Rahul Gandhi.
There is no link whatsoever between the action taken by the Speaker and the remarks passed by Congress leaders against Adani. The Lok Sabha has disqualified many MPs. The only objective of several people with criminal record rallying behind Congress is to deflect public attention from developmental activities of the Modi government.
The law would take its course while dealing with people with criminal backgrounds. The forthcoming elections would see the emergence of Modi-led BJP victorious with a thumping majority. It is high-time Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders spoke in a cultured manner in a democratic countrylike India.
