The PM in waiting Rahul attacked the government and the PM Modi aggressively on the floor of the house. The occasion – No confidence motion brought against the government.
I was beginning to believe that Rahul Gandhi could have indeed have matured in the intervening months, who otherwise was known for his gaffes. He goofed up on that direct attack on the Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitaraman over the Rafale deal. His office had not done a proper check on the subject, and Nirmala had the last laugh, tearing the Congress President with a secrecy clause penned in 2008 by the then Defence Minister of UPA AK Anthony.
There were a few idiotic statements too like the PM dare not see him eye to eye, diluting the seriousness of the debate. The Dalit, the lynching and the Rs. 15 lacs in each Indian’s account have all become stale. There was no new missile, corruption of misfeasance against minister or official.
The bizarre climax was, as soon his speech was over, he walked on the aisle and hugged the PM Modi, who was shell-shocked, as was I. Why in the world did he have to do that? They are in an ideological war, and a win in the no-confidence could have catapulted Rahul to the highest chair! I had no doubt though that the motion will be defeated hands down, without even a few abstaining or a few walking out.
What was Rahul lacking? I guess he lacked in self-confidence. He was struggling to come out of a ‘Pappu’ image, though I have never used the sobriquet ever. He had to prove, to his party that he has come of age, to grind the arrogance of BJP on the floor of the house by shocking all by his hug. PM was hardly amused, and beckoned Rahul by his side to pat him on the back, seemingly to say, “Attaboy, that was cool!” The happy child walks back to make another stupid blunder: he winks at one of his colleagues, seemingly pleased with himself for the hug shocker.
Even if the hug is claimed as a turning point (sic!) in Indian parliamentary democracy, the wink rubbished it all and diluted the apparent gracious act to a crafty and concocted drama.
To me, the scion lost an opportunity in exposing the government. Even if the motion was defeated, he could have had a high-five with his colleagues, his new CWC team et al. He missed all and messed it up.
Rahul could be a nice guy, but I never could visualise him as a PM material before, now or perhaps in the future. I am watching his vociferous attacks and gesticulations on the TV. Had his hands been swords, the opposition would have been beheaded; instead, the PM laughed it out and then comes the hug,’jaadu ki jappi!’
The rest proceedings are a mere formality and of no concern to me or to anyone else.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix
