Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 4: The BJP on Thursday sharply reacted to the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “political prediction” that Mr Narendra Modi will not remain the Prime Minister about a year from now because of some “institutional revolt” he was facing, accusing him of spreading misleading propaganda.
“Stop this agenda of maligning India. Stop this ‘panic to profit’ politics. And remember that LoP does not stand for leader of propaganda,” the BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said reacting to Mr Gandhi’s assertions about Mr Modi’s future.
Speaking at the Congress National Adivasi Professional Conclave on Wednesday, a closed-door party event, Mr Gandhi had said he was receiving “inside information” from within the system that the Modi government was facing an “institutional revolt.”
Mr Gandhi said two developments were taking place simultaneously — an unprecedented “economic tsunami” was set to hit India because the BJP government had removed protections against international shocks, and the Modi government’s control over institutions had collapsed and the system was also revolting due to public pressure.
“You think that the Election Commission is fully controlled. That was three years ago. Now, messages sent by the Chief Election Commissioner are coming to me. The head of the intelligence system and members of the senior judiciary are also revolting and providing information. So, the system of control has collapsed,” Mr Gandhi said at the conclave, videos of which have surfaced.
“Now, people see that there will be tremendous pressure from the janta (public), and they realise that if they continue in the same direction, it will be a risk. What do you think? If the public knows that the electoral system is rigged and becomes angry over economic pressure, poverty and pain, don’t you think the Election Commissioner would be scared? So, now the system is shaking,” the Opposition leader said.
The government might “impose something like an Emergency to suppress public pressure”, the Congress leader said. “But now, we are moving to another stage. Earlier, they were in full control, but now it’s going out of control… In my assessment, Modi-ji won’t be Prime Minister in one year,” Mr Gandhi said.
Without providing details, Mr Gandhi claimed that he regularly received information on Mr Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mr Shah’s son, other Union Ministers, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his sons.
In the last month too at a rally in his Parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli, Mr Gandhi had cautioned that the country was on the brink of an economic crisis that would adversely impact youth, farmers, labourers, and small business owners in Uttar Pradesh. He had also said global tensions, particularly the conflict involving Iran and the U.S. and Israel, along with developments around the Strait of Hormuz, could lead to a surge in inflation and supply shortages.
“A very difficult storm is approaching. I have been cautioning that an economic storm is imminent, which will have a significant impact on common people, and inflation will escalate dramatically,” he had said. He alleged that people were struggling to afford food and cooking gas, and the youth did not have jobs. “The country is in such a state, and the Prime Minister is making absurd statements,” he had said.
Latching on to Mr Gandhi’s warning of the Modi government might impose some kind of emergency, Mr Poonawalla said his comments reflected the Congress party’s own history and mindset. “Rahul Gandhi comes from a family with a history of the Emergency. That is why he believes everyone is out to impose an Emergency. The Constitution was crushed only once in India, and that was done by Indira Gandhi. The way she undermined constitutional institutions and interfered with them is well known,” Mr Poonawalla said in a video statement.
Mr Poonawalla alleged that the real “emergency” was within the Congress party. Claiming that Congress leaders are deserting the party one after another, Mr Poonawalla said the Opposition party is “facing a revolt” against dynastic politics.
The BJP spokesperson also accused Mr Gandhi of repeatedly making allegations against India’s institutions and harming the country’s image abroad. Mr Poonawalla alleged that Mr Gandhi had earlier made misleading statements on issues ranging from the economy and Covid vaccines to national security matters.
“You weaken the morale of India’s armed forces by speaking against Operation Sindoor and India’s actions in Galwan. Even the Supreme Court has rebuked you,” he said. “Stop this agenda of maligning India. Stop this ‘panic to profit’ politics. And remember that LoP does not stand for leader of propaganda,” he added.