 "Is Congress losing perception battle to Modi government on nationalism?")
Has the Congress top leadership yet again lost the perception battle to the Narendra Modi government on the issue of nationalism?
In early October, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi undid his hard work of his month long ‘kisan yatra’ across Uttar Pradesh by accusing Modi government of indulging in ‘khoon ki dalali’ by politicizing Indian Army’s surgical strikes on the Line of Control to avenge the Uri terror strike.
On Thursday in the Rajya Sabha, the government was on the mat until Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad equated the 40 deaths due to demonetization to the killing of Indian Army jawans by terrorists in Uri. It offered an opportunity to the treasury benches, which was quickly grabbed by Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, to put the Congress on the back foot. He demanded an unconditional apology from Azad.
Soon after the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day. “Where was the need to say what he did,” said one senior opposition leader, loud enough for it to reach the press gallery, as he and others trooped out of the House. The treasury benches continued to raise the issue during the proceedings on Friday as well, with the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day. Azad, however, is in no mood to submit any apology. Until now, his party, the Congress, has supported him.
But there is surprise not just in the opposition ranks, but also among senior ministers of the Modi cabinet. Several of them, particularly Naidu and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, have a tremendous rapport with Azad. The Congress leader is widely recognized and respected, including in the BJP, for his nationalistic approach to issues. He is also known to be a mature and balanced speaker on such issues.
The assessment among non-Congress parties, including in the BJP, is that Azad was probably directed by the party high command to bring in the Uri reference as an effort to puncture BJP’s nationalistic plank that it has raised after the surgical strikes. However, it has backfired, just as Gandhi’s ‘khoon ki dalali’ remarks did.
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While Azad’s remarks were expunged by the chair, government strategists believe they now have an issue to blunt the opposition attack on Modi government’s poor planning in rolling out the demonetization.
Azad believes he is on firm ground. His party continues to defend him. On Thursday, Azad said he did not need certificates from the BJP. He said he comes from a region where people face shelling by Pakistan on a daily basis. In a reference to the PM, Azad said the world knows who landed in Lahore uninvited to attend a wedding and have lunch and dinner with Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif.
Prime Minister met senior cabinet ministers and his floor managers on Friday morning. When the two Houses convened, the ruling coalition members persisted with demanding an apology from Azad. The BJP is no mood to let go of the opportunity to put the Congress in an embarrassing position on the issue of ‘nationalism’.
It isn’t for the first time, and probably not the last, that the Congress has snatched defeat from a battle where it had an upper hand. Ruling party strategists are thanking one man in the Congress and opposition leaders blaming him. Unfortunately, Azad is under fire from his opposition colleagues as well.