Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 18: Demonstrating his proven skill how to turn opposition’s words attacking him against them, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders underlining that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be between the forces who “worship Goddess Shakti and those who want to destroy it.”
Mr Modi’s frontal attack send Mr Gandhi and the Congress to scurry for cover with the former Congress president accusing Mr Modi of deliberately “twisting” his words to bring in religion in the electoral battle and his sister and the Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra coming to his rescue saying that the Prime Minister was knowingly distorting the issue to escape from answering people on the pressing problems facing the nation.
In the excitement over the big INDIA rally at Mumbai on Sunday to mark the completion of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, a remark made by the Congress leader regarding “Shakti” slipped by almost unnoticed. But a day later all realised how the passing remark could be made the focal point when Mr Modi interpreted it as the opposition views against the “Sanatana Dharma” worshipping Goddess Shakti and against all women who represent the “Shakti.”
With Modi repeating the same at different rallies Monday, it was clear that the BJP saw Rahul’s remark as reminiscent of controversies triggered by the use of words such as “neech” and “chaiwala” by Congress leaders and would go to any extent to use it against the opposition INDIA bloc.
Addressing the INDIA rally, Rahul had raised the bloc’s concerns regarding EVMs, and said: “There is a word ‘Shakti’ in Hinduism. We are fighting against a shakti too. The question is, what is that shakti and what does it mean for us?” He had gone on to say that all institutions in the country, from EVMs to the Enforcement Directorate, were under the might of the Modi government misusing the ruling party’s “Shakti” (power).
Modi began the day Monday by claiming that Rahul had insulted the revered figure of Shakti in Hinduism. “Don’t we worship Shakti in India? Haven’t we dedicated our Chandrayaan to Shiv Shakti (the name given to the site of the landing)? But these people are talking about a life without Shakti.”
Modi added that for the BJP, Shakti was symbolic of every woman. Pointing to women seated in different sections of the audience, at a rally in Jagtial, Telangana, he said: “Mere saamne Shakti-swaroopa beti, mahilayen, behnen, Shakti ka roop dhaaran karke, mujhe aashirwad dene aayi hain (Daughters, women, sisters, the symbol of Shakti, are here before me, having taken the form of Shakti to bless me)… For me every mother, sister, daughter is the symbol of Shakti. Mein Bharat maan ka poojari hoon (I am a devotee of Bharat Mata)… I will sacrifice my life for the security of mothers and sisters.”
He added that Rahul’s remark could not be ignored as it was made at INDIA’s first rally after the announcement of elections, and at the historic Shivaji Stadium. Sharing an anecdote about Shivaji and how he respected women, the PM said: “On June 4, it will be clear who has the blessing of Shakti.” Modi later brought up the matter at a rally in Shivamogga, Karnataka.
In a statement posted on X, Rahul Gandhi accused Mr Modi of twisting his words and said he was not talking about “any religious power” but the shakti (might) of unrighteousness, corruption and falsehood. “The ‘shakti’ that I mentioned, Modiji is the mask of that power and we are fighting against it. That power has captured India’s voice, India’s institutions, the CBI, I-T, ED, Election Commission, the media, Indian industry and the entire Constitutional structure of India in its clutches,” the Congress leader posted in Hindi.
Rahul added: “I recognise that power and so does Narendra Modiji. It is not any kind of religious power, it is the power of unrighteousness, corruption and falsehood. That’s why whenever I raise my voice against it, Modiji and his machine of lies get upset and enraged.”
The Congress also attacked Modi’s claims, saying the coming elections will decide whether the country is run by “Asuri Shakti (demonic power)” or “Daivik Shakti (divine power)”.
Likening the BJP to “Asuri Shakti”, the Congress said his 10-year reign had seen incidents such as the Unnao, Kathua and Hathras sexual assault incidents, parading of women after stripping them in Manipur, as well as the “harassment” of women wrestlers. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: “All these were forms of power.”
The party added: “This country has always got its strength from ‘Daivik Shakti’ and the youths, women and farmers are standing with Rahul Gandhi.”
Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rushing to her brother’s defence said, “The Prime Minister is just a master of diverting public attention. The people of the country are struggling with inflation, unemployment and economic crisis. The youth are disappointed. The farmers are committing suicide. People are not able to run their homes due to inflation. Demonetization-GST ruined lakhs of industries. But the Prime Minister’s priority is to divert public attention by twisting the statements of opposition leaders,” Vadra said in a post on X.
However, the BJP is hoping to use Rahul’s remark to bolster its claims that the INDIA bloc has “hatred against Hinduism and Hindu beliefs.” The Congress has been in this position before, with barbs by its leaders directed at Modi backfiring on the party. These include the “Chowkidar chor hai” campaign of 2019 by the Congress against the PM, led by Rahul. The BJP retaliated with its leaders adding “Main bhi chowkidar hoon” to their social media status.
A taunt by RJD supremo and INDIA leader Lalu Prasad against Modi’s bachelor status recently was countered by the BJP similarly, with is leaders appending “Modi ka Parivar (Modi’s family)” to their social media handles within 48 hours. Modi added his weight by saying the whole country was his family.
In 2014, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s use of the word “chaiwala” while referring to Modi had helped the BJP contrast his humble beginnings with that of the Congress elite. It had also prompted the BJP’s successful “Chai pe charcha” campaign.
In 2007 Gujarat Assembly elections, Ms Sonia Gandhi’s use of the charge “Maut ka Saudagar (The trader of death)” in reference to the 2002 communal riots against Mr Modi when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister, was turned by him to use against the Congress of “insulting” Gujarat’s “son of the soil” and is believed to have helped the BJP to sweep the polls.