Rahul Gandhi Takes On Narendra Modi: Hindutva Remark, Jibes Raise ‘Heat’ Of the Moment

The fact that Rahul Gandhi’s words made the PM stand up makes the Congress feel that Gandhi had the desired effect. (PTI)

Gone was the gawkiness of Rahul Gandhi of the past as, in his over almost an-hour-a-half-long speech as the Leader of Opposition (LOP), the Rae Bareilly MP made it clear that he wants to take on the PM and speak to him directly.

In fact, at one point, Gandhi took a dig that everyone had challenged him to a debate with the PM. Today, he had done just that. The speech, with some misses and hits, clearly shows that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi want these confrontations with PM Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sources say that Gandhi agreed to become the LOP knowing fully well that he would have to interject frequently and cannot afford to be absent. He wanted and was ready for the fight. His response in the motion of thanks reveals this.

ON HINDUISM

The beginning was made to goad the BJP and the PM on what has been the strong point of the BJP — Hinduism. Even earlier, Gandhi has made the point that the BJP is not a Hindutva party, nor is the PM a true Hindu, as nowhere does the religion teach you to instill fear in people or be violent.

Despite the Speaker’s repeated warnings, Gandhi kept showing pictures of Guru Nanak and Shiva. Here again, the new-found brazen and combative Gandhi ventured into a strong bastion of the BJP. The PM is bound to respond equally strongly to this.

Gandhi’s speech was more like a politician during campaigns and less like the LOP. Gone was the mellowness of going by the rulebook. Making fun of the PM for his “biological” comment and taunting him for “direct access to God’, the MP decided that he won’t blink.

NEET, G-23 & JAI SAMVIDHAAN

Many were left wondering that considering that Gandhi was pitching for detailed discussion on NEET, why did he not spend much time on this topic. The Congress says that this is just the base he has laid. The fact that Gandhi’s words made the PM stand up, as did many Union ministers, who intervened in objections, makes the Congress feel Gandhi had the desired effect.

Not that Gandhi stopped at this. He also accused the Speaker of switching off his mic and bowing down to the PM in fear. He said the Congress is never fearful and allows dissent. For the first time, Gandhi made reference to G23, as a sign that unlike BJP leaders who live in fear, in the Congress, everyone has a right to speak their mind.

The PM and BJP will make it a big issue and fix their attack on the Hindu comment of Gandhi, as they feel this is where Gandhi can be trapped. But the Congress feels that post the Faizabad (Ayodhya) win and a good performance in the BJP bastion of Uttar Pradesh despite Ram Mandir, they have nothing to fear.

This is also why Gandhi countered the ‘Modi Modi’ chants of the BJP with ‘Jai Samvidhan’.

The game has just begun. It’s clearly the PM verus Rahul Gandhi now, both in and out of parliament.