Rahul Gandhi is mistaken if he believes that his over-the-top rants during his visits to foreign lands promote the opposition’s cause in India. These can only create a negative impression of the country among uninformed or biased listeners. It is probably his belief and that of his mentors that such a slant would help the governments of these countries to pressurise the Indian government on the usual ‘concerns’ about human and minority rights. By doing so, he is not so much harming the Modi Government as India’s bargaining power in international affairs. However, in a global environment where relations are more transactional than idealistic, even this leverage is limited.
That is just about all that Rahul is able to embarrass the Indian Government. Otherwise, he manages to provide considerable ‘masala’ for the BJP to take him to the cleaners. Even his most recent utterances are receiving criticism and, if intelligently used, they will prove great grist to the BJP’s election campaign in the coming assembly contests, beginning with Haryana. Not just the INDI Alliance partners, but even the Congress will find it hard to justify anything that he has said. Attacking the BJP is one thing, but to cast aspersions against constitutional bodies such as the Election Commission and, indirectly, the Judiciary, cannot be supported by anybody.
It is much like the contest in the US, where certain legitimate concerns such as protecting American jobs and preventing illegal immigration are being advocated by Donald Trump, who in no way represents these issues personally. What lies behind his candidature is an inherent fanatical core that believes in an illusory idea of the world. It is the same with the similarly privileged Rahul Gandhi as the leader of the anti-BJP forces. A narrative is being built based on casteist rhetoric, which projects Hinduism in the manner of foreign proselytisers, and panders to divisive forces, no matter of what kind. The mention of Sikhs, for instance, in Rahul’s latest utterance, is designed to instigate extremist elements that have taken refuge in the US, Canada, etc. This is the same type of mistake made by Indira Gandhi when she interfered in Sikh religious politics. Unfortunately, it was not just she who paid the fatal price. Those who sincerely care for the well-being of Rahul Gandhi should keep him from rushing in where angels fear to tread.
