1. The problem with such surveys is not their veracity. It is an art to make numbers dance to the tune you set. The problem with such surveys is that they’re setting a narrative that is not matching with the objective. Rahul Kanwal rushes to the survey &
2. is blatantly normalising the theme of #BharatJodoYatra as Brand re-launch #RahulGandhi. Whether it’s intentional or a lack of understanding, I don’t know. But its end-result is a trivialisation of a Yatra that travelled the entire length of India, involved ‘000s of people &
3. created a mass-political hysteria in the offices of Modi & Malviya. The Yatra brought about people hitherto unwilling to come out or share platforms, it brought out the cong cadre on roads, it brought together elements from the opposition for the cause of Unity. BJY is a rare
4. political movement without a short-term motive of electoral gains. Perhaps anchors like Rahul Kanwar aren’t aware of such ‘selfless’ & visionary brand of politics in an age where their political masters have commoditised everything from army to mothers to religion.
5. To look at BJY from this narrow lens is to demean the sweat & courage of everyone who participated in it. While Rahul Gandhi held the Yatra as its principal walker, the issues related to economic ruin, unemployment, inflation, int’l policy failure, crony capitalism came to the
6. forefront as the media so far had played the govt’s trumpet. The Voice of Rahul & the march of Yatris, were heard over it & found resonance with Indians. Whether RG’s acceptance ratings have increased marginally or substantially do not tell you if the pains of jobloss has been
6. addressed. It doesn’t take into account the uplifted morales of the workers or the assurance the population has felt watching a politician get down on the road to speak about issues that plague them. So long, Rahul Kanwal, thanks for all the fish, but it’s out of water now
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1. Since 2014, INC has been in a state of decline. It has lost elections, lost leaders & lost people’s faith. There have been tactical blunders as well accusations around misgovernance. It has not helped that the INC faced a media ire & failed miserably in its response.
2. INC found itself riding a bullock cart on an information highway. The BJP’s attempt at a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ was to wipe the party out of collective conscious. The Romans have been notorious of this & the BJP was simply trying to replicate this tactic.
3. To wipe-out INC, that in such a short span of time, Mr. Modi began with dishonoring the legacy of India, both its freedom struggle as well as its Tryst with Destiny as a young nation riddled with pain & poverty. However, in the process, his acute mind realized the potential a
1. I would rephrase the 'mukhda' as vile intent @ShashiTharoor. The article weaves a set of theological maze around Shruti & Smriti and then jumps to its comparison of ManuSmriti (MS) with the Indian Constitution (IC). Let's begin,
a. Was MS a product of intense debate &
2. deliberations like IC?
b. Was it formulated by people from diverse backgrounds who were 'representative' of the Indian population
c. Was MS based on principles of Socialism, Secularism, Democracy
d. Was MS based on any principles at all
e. If MS is a book on law, why can it
3. not be compared to Sharia rather than being compared to IC
f. Did MS in its being represented all/select kingdoms of its time
g. Was there a well-thought out rule to amend it or was it arbitrary?
I must confess Dr. @ShashiTharoor not in agreement with the author or your praise
1. Mumbai, while you took a Sunday off, there some who were marching. No, this is not about #BharatJodoYatra. This happened in your city, attended by the top leaders of the ruling party at the centre. Like the BJY, this too had a relation to Love. Unlike BJY, it was against it.
2. The march was aptly called the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha. It was organized by Sakal Hindu Samaj, a front for Hindutva RW organisations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Sanatana Sangh, Karni Sena.
Do you know what ‘Aakrosh’ means – extreme anger if my Hindi is correct.
3. & you may wonder what is the ‘aakrosh’ about? Jobs? Inflation? Petrol prices? Cylinder? Adani? Amateurs! Sheer amateurs!!!
The ‘aakrosh’ was against ‘LOVE JIHAD’ with calls for laws against religious conversions & BOYCOTT of goods from shops owned by ‘THOSE’.
1. BJP propaganda machinery attacked #BharatJodoYatra with a lot of slander. One of their accusations pointed to the defections within the Congress over the last decade. Their trolls picked up the theme. There were the unsolicited advises on ‘Jodo’ Cong 1st. Thank You!
2. Yes, the Cong did go through a disturbing trend of defections.
Many of them moved to greener (or saffron) pastures. Happens when idealism is traded for opportunism. & the pendulum swings both ways. Remember that.
There were also those who moved away because they believed the
3. Cong was in a decay after its electoral defeats. They, like the voters were filled with disappointment. Ideologically, they’re, as are the majority of voters, still breathing the Cong philosophy. Remember that.
Both the set of defectors will flock back to the Congress.
1. 4080Km & the journey has just begun! #BharatJodoYatra has not concluded, it has become a mission for every Yatri to return with the message of Unity, Harmony & Dignity of India, its people & its culture. When #RahulGandhi set foot from Kanyakumari 5mo back, it was dismissed as
2. an aimless venture. Yet, the obsession with RG & INC ensured the walk was always under intense scrutiny of media & the IT cell. That was BJPs 1st folly. They allowed India too to keep an eye on Rahul Gandhi, perhaps many waiting for the next opportunity to mock him. & they did
3. Amit Malviya worked overtime to put out edited videos of Rahul’s speech. News channels went overboard defaming those who joined Rahul in his walk. It was an overdose of hate & lies. Rahul walked, Cong supporters, liberals, members of civil society continued to join him.
1. The Congress will win 2024 elections. It is not a matter of fact. It is a matter of faith. You can lose an election. You can never lose faith. #BharatJodiYatra has restored the faith that supporters found waning till a few years back. #RahulGandhi led #BJY by not making it a
2. grand roadshow that are so associated with Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi, instead has walked with people, connected to their pains & sorrow. Unlike the grand marketing machinery that Modi is, Rahul Gandhi is a man of truth, honesty & empathy. Cong. in him has found an ideologue
3. of this time unlike BJP which is still rooted to the days of Golwalker & Savarkar. It is a critical difference because politics without ideology turns into an opportunistic business pulling the society into its vortex. RG in that sense is a man beyond the pettiness of politics