By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Direction in which politics in India is moving, we may witness much more surprises than the one which Enforcement Directorate’s seizure action worth Rs 752 crore property on November 21 has brought. The properties are linked to years old National Herald case which is already in court under a judicial process. Prosecutor, the Union Government led by PM Narendra Modi, seemed not satisfied by the judicial process, and hence in a proactive role ED attached the properties under money laundering offence, which ultimately may pave the way for arrest of Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi is back in the Lok Sabha after a brief period of disqualification which has always been a setback for RSS-BJP clan. Surprisingly enough, the current ED’s action against Gandhis came the same day the Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged in an election rally in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Baran district in Jaipur that the Congress is a symbol of corruption, nepotism and appeasement – the three evils preventing India from becoming a developed nation. “As long as three enemies of the country — corruption, nepotism and appeasement — are among us, it will be difficult to fulfil the resolution to make India a developed nation. The Congress is the biggest symbol of these three evils,” Modi told the public rally.
Modi’s allegation followed by ED’s action has made it clear that PM Narendra Modi still believes that Congress is a threat to the “nation”, more specifically reflected in the aspirations of the BJP and PM Modi himself. As the Lok Sabha election 2024 comes closer, PM Modi’s threat perceptions seems to be sharply increasing, who would be seeking for the third term for himself and the BJP.
Before Modi became Prime Minister of this country in 2014, almost all BJP leaders were talking about their dream of “Congress Mukta Bharat” (a Bharat free of Congress), which remained unfulfilled even after the Lok Sabha election 2019. Congress remained very weak for three years, but by 2022 it started showing signs of revival, and its leader Rahul Gandhi started gaining popularity with his Bharat Jodo Yatra. In the beginning, Rahul Gandhi was ignored and then ridiculed, but by November 2022, his efforts brought fruit for Congress which threw BJP out of power in Himachal Pradesh. Again in May 2023, Congress rendered humiliating defeat to the ruling BJP throwing out of power in Karnataka.
A special feature of these two elections is that PM Narendra Modi could not save BJP governments, even though he extensively campaigned there against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, in addition to the RSS-BJP machinery’s best of efforts to make the election communally surcharged to attract Hindu majority votes in its favour. Modi’s charisma, RSS-BJP’s organisation network, and communal campaigns just failed before the rising influence of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi.
Similar political conditions are prevailing and consequent strategies have been adopted by both Congress and the BJP during the current November 2023 state elections in five states – Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana. BJP has been contesting in the name of PM Narendra Modi, but the party seems to be trailing behind Congress everywhere. Congress is chief political adversary in four states, while in Telangana, the party is poor third political factor.
In the meantime, one characteristic of PM Modi’s politics has to be taken note of. Political adversaries of Modi everywhere have been prosecuted by the Central investigating agencies like CBI, ED, NIA, and the Department of Income Tax, which the opposition have been alleging politically motivated while providing data that actions taken against politicians included 90-95 per cent opposition leaders. Union Government says that law is taking its own course, but the opposition leaders ask why should “Modi Washing Machine” clean all the taints from the politician who switched over to BJP or its people?
The chronology of actions against corrupt politicians give rise to suspicion that opposition leaders are specifically targeted and leniency adopted to those who support PM Narendra Modi. Corruption cases came in abundance against perceived arch and strongest political rivals of PM Modi and BJP. Those included TMC led by Mamata Banerjee, BRS led by KCR, AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal, and so on. Whoever, perceived to be strongest political adversary, had to face corruption case one by one. This made the entire opposition unite and form INDIA alliance to face PM Modi, which he said “pack of corrupts” and during an election campaign said “action will be taken” against them.
Emergence of the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi in the current state election has threatened the electoral fortune of the BJP in general and PM Modi in particular. As the Machiavellian strategy says that one should attack one’s adversary before the adversary’s attack.
Just three days before the first phase of election in Chhattisgarh, ED said that Congress leader CM Bhupesh Baghel was illegally paid Rs 508 crore by Mahadev betting app promoter. PM Modi asked Congress where the money gone? ED continued search and raids against Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan against corruption and money laundering. PM Modi even made big claim that Congress sold papers for all examinations in Rajasthan.
The latest allegation made by PM against Congress and ED actions leave no one in doubt that Congress and Rahul Gandhi have clearly emerged chief political adversary of BJP and PM Narendra Modi. Irrespective of the merit or demerit of the cases against Congress leaders, the continued search, raids, summons, seizure, and detention on one or the other ground would certainly disrupt the political campaigns of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. That is why Congress and the INDIA alliance claim these to be politically motivated. On the other hand, BJP leaders claim the actions against them are as per law.
It should be noted that Modi government is making use of the draconian laws against their political adversaries, only to prevent them to seek justice as an accused through normal judicial process. One of the most abused laws is the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and on several occasions even Supreme Court of India had said that people were illegally arrested.
PMLA case against National Herald, is serious for several questions, such as should “administrative actions” not be made to follow “judicial process” when the case is already in the court? ED has said that their “investigation revealed” proceeds of crime, and hence they “issued an order to provisionally attach property worth Rs 751.9 crore.” The case has paved the way for action against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, which may even include their arrests if a “necessity” arises.
Since PM Modi himself has said in election rallies that action will be taken against all corrupt in the INDIA alliance, there may be many surprises in waiting as Lok Sabha election 2024 approaches. Indications go beyond action against corrupt to announcement of certain controversial policies such as on Uniform Civil Code; One nation, One election; or even those yet unknown that PM Modi may think fit for “saving the nation” just by clearing the opposition voices out of his way for his ideal “Bharat”. However, much will depend on the results of the current state assembly poll on December 3. (IPA Service)
The post Congress And Rahul Gandhi Now PM Narendra Modi’s Chief Target first appeared on Latest India news, analysis and reports on IPA Newspack.
