Like some condescending superior, Germany states what it ‘expects’ from Indian democracy. And it isn’t even India’s former colonial master! Given that a government representative is required to answer even planted questions, it can be done without seemingly taking sides. It is a political battle going on in India, not between democracy and autocracy, and the German establishment should be smart and informed enough to know that. So, why the unwarranted interference? Is an attempt being made to influence the judicial process on behalf of Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case? Has the Congress and its leadership made some kind of deal with ‘western democracies’ to obtain support in such matters in exchange for future concessions? It is a known fact that the Congress has signed an unreleased MoU with the Chinese Communist Party, with Rahul Gandhi as the signatory. What’s the deal?
Or, is it Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stand on continuing good relations with Russia during the ongoing Ukraine crisis responsible for this antagonistic behaviour? A little bit of both, perhaps. Will this play a role in the future elections, particularly the 2014 Lok Sabha contest? The BJP is bound to go to town with the ‘betrayal and dynastic’ narratives, for which substantial material has been provided by none other than the Congress leadership. As always, Digvijay Singh has pitched in by welcoming the German ‘support for democracy’. Pramod Tiwari has declared that there should be ‘different rules’ for the Nehru-Gandhi family. With leaders of other parties playing narrow caste and communal cards regardless of the bigger picture, would not a discerning public take a dim view of the alternative on offer?
Rather than descending to a similar level, it would be wise for the BJP to focus on the damage the success of such politics would do to the Indian economy which, despite all odds, is the best performing in the world at present. And it should not be left just to the Prime Minister to point this out – the average party member should be able to reel out the facts and figures and ably counter the opposition claims. Not that the opposition’s arguments have much substance – nine years after Modi has been Prime Minister, the AAP is asking how educated he should be! Given the complex and very real electoral challenges before, both, the BJP and the opposition parties, one claim that certainly cannot be made is that democracy is under threat.
