Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra Is A Landmark. Even If…

A comment that music virtuoso TM Krishna made after briefly becoming a member of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh me. “The ambiance radiated positivity and happiness,” mentioned Krishna, including that round him he noticed “not the conniving smile of gleefulness, not the smile of a victor, however the smile of fraternity.”

Rahul himself offered a quotable quote when he declared that he was establishing a dukaan of mohabbat in a bazaar of hate.

For a while now, we have been listening to loud and overtly illegal calls to harass and even get rid of India’s Muslims. The Maharashtra authorities’s current announcement of a panel for monitoring interfaith marriages was solely a recent, if oblique, salvo on this ongoing nationwide marketing campaign to demonise India’s minorities. Going through this barrage, India’s politicians have principally pussyfooted across the topic, fearing that any defence of Muslims will alienate the nation’s 80 p.c Hindu majority.

By overtly confronting nafrat, Rahul Gandhi’s yatra might have damaged the spell of concern. Bharat Jodo has turned out to be a superb slogan. It’s a crucial one, too. Two accompanying slogans underlined by Rahul, “Carry costs down!” and “Present employment!” additionally make excellent political sense.

Though I’ve not seen any polling on the topic, I might wager that an excellent majority of India’s Hindus are in opposition to minority demonisation and favour Bharat Jodo and that a big majority of India’s Muslims and Christians respect the value of their Hindu compatriots. Even so, and regardless of the Yatra’s undoubted affect (which, given media neglect, is kind of outstanding) it’s under no circumstances clear that the Yatra has made the Congress a lot stronger. The much-needed reiteration through the Yatra that India belongs to all equally, and that every one have a stake in India’s unity, can solely be a begin of any critical Congress revival. The majority of the duty stays to be completed.

Indians will now be curious to see whether or not the Congress has the fireplace to mobilise and contain the plenty. Solutions must come not primarily from Rahul Gandhi or Mallikarjun Kharge, however from particular person Congress leaders throughout India and in any respect ranges.

College students of historical past know that within the Nineteen Twenties, Thirties, and Nineteen Forties, when the Congress’s reference to the Indian individuals was at its strongest, an excellent many leaders throughout the land have been usually talking up, writing, protesting, marching, and courting punishment. It wasn’t simply Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel and Subhash Chandra Bose. As we speak, to anticipate both Kharge or Rahul, or the 2 of them collectively, to rework the present Congress organisation on their very own is to ask for the unimaginable.

Though Narendra Modi is the BJP’s unquestioned chief, a wide range of people in that get together and within the RSS parivaar communicate up immediately or not directly for majoritarianism. What number of within the Congress are lively or vocal champions of Bharat Jodo and equal rights for Indians of any and each background?

Sometimes, we hear a Shashi Tharoor or a Kanhaiya Kumar or a Jignesh Mevani – or a Jairam Ramesh, Ashok Gehlot, a Bhupesh Baghel or a P. Chidambaram – saying one thing alongside these traces, however certainly the battle for everybody’s dignity in India calls for a thousand voices?

And a whole lot of writers. If a Congress journal exists, wherein particular person get together staff or leaders specific their clear (and the place wanted dissenting) opinions on the challenges dealing with our nation, we do not hear of it. Each week, dozens of anti-constitutional and polarising statements are made by the majoritarians. Only some are shortly or firmly countered by alert Congress leaders, whether or not in speech or in print. Whether or not our mass media stories any such ripostes is one other matter, after all.

In as we speak’s hate-filled and insular bazaar, Rahul Gandhi’s “store for everybody” will definitely not be sufficient. If others within the Congress usually are not establishing such “retailers”, is that Rahul’s fault or Mallikarjun Kharge’s? And if different Congresspersons want to communicate as much as protect (or restore) an India of liberty, equality and fraternity, why ought to they await permission from Kharge or Rahul? Birthrights usually are not defended by one other’s permission.

I’m not arguing that democratic rights are the only real challenge earlier than India. As Rahul additionally factors out, costs and jobs are of equal significance. But, it is higher by far to face for liberty, equality and fraternity and lose an election than to faux that there isn’t any battle for democratic rights in as we speak’s India.

One thing else that Rahul just lately mentioned was each vital and crucial. He mentioned the Congress needs to work with all different opposition events to defend democracy.

Wonderful. However what concerning the Congress’s oft-seen capability to wrest defeat from the jaws of success in pleasant territory? Multiple commentator has mentioned that given the unpopularity of Karnataka’s present BJP authorities, the one method for the Congress to lose subsequent 12 months in that state can be for Siddaramiah and DK Shivakumar to consider one another somewhat than the BJP as the actual adversary.

Is it solely as much as Kharge or Rahul Gandhi to make sure that the 2 Karnataka stalwarts keep united? Furthermore, can Rahul Gandhi or Kharge create or compel unity between two seasoned leaders? I deliver up this level to underline the unreasonableness of the demand that Rahul Gandhi or Kharge on their very own ought to in some way rework the Congress organisation in state after state.

By any reckoning, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is popping out to be a landmark within the story of Rahul Gandhi, whose heat private join with an infinite wave of residents has been as spectacular as his bodily stamina on the lengthy march. Whether or not the Yatra additionally leads to a major strengthening of the battle for democratic rights in India relies upon not a lot on what Rahul Gandhi does from right here on, however on what others within the Congress and in a spread of opposition events do or fail to do.

(Rajmohan Gandhi’s newest e book is “India After 1947: Reflections and Recollections”)

Disclaimer: These are the non-public opinions of the writer.