by Nilofar Suhrawardy 11 August 2023
Rahul Gandhi’s return to the Parliament spells as much political relief for Congress as it probably sounds troubling for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This has been possible by a stay granted by Supreme Court in Rahul’s conviction in a defamation case filed against him. Certainly, BJP would have preferred the visit of Rahul outside the Parliament and also his not being permitted to contest the 2024 parliamentary elections. Of course, it is too early to predict which party it spells victory/defeat for. There is, however, no denying that BJP has not gained by choosing to exercise this strategy against Rahul Gandhi. The sole gainer in BJP-camp during this legal drama has been party member Purnesh Modi, MLA, Gujarat. He has received fairly substantial media coverage, becoming more known outside Gujarat. But that is it. Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Rahul Gandhi needed any help from any such case to increase their fame in India and outside. Both were and remain well-known across the country. The question is not simply that of Rahul having erred by linking the name Modi with thieves but that of hype raised about it.
The general public is well aware of the degree to which most politicians indulge in literal verbal abuse of their rivals during their speeches at public gatherings. Here, one may point to linking the word “Pappu” with Rahul Gandhi and similar comments regarding his family’s mothers, particularly his mother, Sonia Gandhi. It is possible from the day the defamation case was filed against him, Rahul decided to change his political strategy with a greater focus on enhancing his communication appeal. His Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India March) may be viewed from this angle. His rivals have not welcomed the apparent success of this March and the increase in his popularity.
Given PM Modi being well known for the nature and success of his communication strategies, it seems his team has erred in initiating a “defamation drive” through the case file against Rahul Gandhi. This point may not have been made if Purnesh was not a BJP member. Besides, the case was filed in Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi. It may be repeated while Purnesh has gained a little; his party has lost a lot. The latter is marked by Rahul having been propelled to focus more on his political strategies, probably because of the case.
Even if the apex court had not stayed the conviction against Rahul, chances of his return to Parliament at the end of the two years prevailed. The two-year sentence handed by the trial court led to the disqualification of Rahul as a Legislator for two years, which also prevented him from contesting the 2024 parliamentary elections. The apex court observed that this sentence was unjustified as it affected Rahul Gandhi’s “right to continue in public life” and “also that of the electorate who elected him.” This also suggests that one man- Purnesh’s move stood invalidated against that of those who voted for Rahul Gandhi.
It may also be observed that Purnesh is not the only individual who uses Modi as a surname. It is astonishing that not all people with this surname expressed their stand in his support. So far, no public comments have been reportedly made by PM Modi also. If he has remained silent on this issue, he has exercised a wise decision. So what, who calls him what. His fate rests with the people’s vote. Besides, in politics, voters know that rivals are least likely to hold and express favorable opinions about each other in public. It may also be stated if Purnesh had not filed the case, people in most parts of the country may not have learned about Rahul having reportedly remarked during an election rally at Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?” After being disqualified from Parliament, he used the same place to address the rally ahead of Karnataka’s Assembly Elections, which Congress won. This is just another indicator that neither his remark nor his disqualification from Parliament negatively impacted people’s decision to favor Congress in state polls. BJP stalwarts must give importance to this reality because their party was pushed out of power in Karnataka.
The question is more than who has gained the edge over whom in this legal wrangling over the issue of the name Modi. If Purnesh and his party colleagues assumed they would do PM Modi, BJP, and perhaps all with the name –Modi, a big favor with this legal battle against Rahul, they seem to have erred. Each step of this legal drama earned Rahul substantial media coverage. Purnesh is not a national politician nor has he become a celebrity through this case. Not many outside Gujarat are still familiar with his name though he has received media coverage because of this case. But yes, the news of the apex court’s decision against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament has undoubtedly been relatively well understood by persons at all levels. Most also view it as BJP having been “defeated” on this front. Elementarily, the noise about the name Modi in this legal wrangling strongly suggests this. For people, this name is only associated with the present Prime Minister.
Irrespective of whatever may be PM Modi’s opinion about this legal drama, it has undoubtedly led Rahul to remain on center stage. In all probability, the legal battle meant to stab Rahul’s chances of campaigning effectively and being a contestant in the 2024 parliamentary polls. Though the legal action is not over, the apex court’s decision has reversed the impact of this “stab” and instead seems to have added a new vigor among Congress workers. On his part, Rahul has displayed his political momentum in the Parliament by aggressively blaming BJP for violence in Manipur (August 9). Of course, nothing can be predicted in the political domain. For all we know, when voters face EVM (Electronic Voting Machine), their votes may be decided by tomatoes’ price or whichever issues are played upon by parties battling for victory. Legal drama over Modi-name favoring Rahul and similar matters may bear little/no significance for them. At present, Rahul’s rivals appear to have been cornered by their own moves, which have proved politically expensive for them!