Why India can't afford Rajiv Gandhi 2.0 (RaGa) as PM
What's the story
Dear reader, humor us for a minute. Tell us - what do you think is common between Rajiv Gandhi and his son Rahul Gandhi? Good looks: Yes; Powerful mothers: Yes; Unconditional media support: Yes. Limited intellect: Yes; Zero understanding of India: Yes; Goofy demeanor: Yes. If Rajiv Gandhi were born in Twitter era, I bet he would have been called the original 'Pappu'. Here, we tell you why.
Do you know?
Rajiv made bigger blunders than Indira and Sanjay combined
Here's a thing: Indira Gandhi has been called a dictator because the media couldn't whitewash her doings. Even Sanjay 'Nasbandi' Gandhi had given enough reasons to call him out. But, if you look deeper, Rajiv Gandhi's blunders trump theirs, by a wide margin. He destroyed the social fabric of India, and how.
Muslims
The infamous Shah Bano Case
Question: What do you call a man who is against minorities of minorities? Answer: Rajiv Gandhi. Picture this: A poor 62-year-old Muslim woman went to the court seeking Rs. 200/month from her husband, for supporting her 5 children after he triple talaq-ed her. Even the Supreme Court ruled in her favor. However, Rajiv passed an ordinance to appease the conservative clergy. The infamous Shah Bano case is the classic text book example of vote-bank appeasement.
Hindus
The architect of Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid Issue
If clergy appeasement wasn't enough, Rajiv went ahead and became the architect of worst Hindu Muslim clashes this country ever witnessed. He was instrumental in opening the locks of the disputed Babri Masjid which was shut down since 1949. The event was telecasted live on Doordarshan. This was perhaps his trick to win Hindu votes. The decision led to widespread protests, and later in 1992 the demolishment of Babri Masjid and eventual riots in Mumbai in 1993.
Sikhs
The 1984 state-sponsored anti-Sikh riots
Let there be no ambiguity around it - The biggest pogrom in the history of India happened under Rajiv's leadership. Official government reports said that 2,800 Sikhs were killed across India, including 2,100 in Delhi. And, some independent sources estimate the number of deaths at about 8,000. His mother was the tree, and innocent Sikhs were the ground. Help me understand, why was this man given Bharat Ratna?
How?
His immaturity is the sole reason behind Kashmir fiasco
When I was growing up, we were made to believe that Kashmir issue started right after India's partition. The truth can't be farther away. It was a fairly peaceful place till as late as 1987. Until Rajiv came into the picture. The Congress, under him, reportedly rigged the 1987 Assembly elections to favor its ally-National Conference. That led to the rise of Mujahideen and the beginning of the violent phase in Valley. Will we see a peaceful Kashmir in our lifetimes, the place where my parents went for their honeymoon?
Details
Rahul Gandhi is the exact replica of his father
Cut to present-day politics, and Rahul Gandhi is the exact replica of his father. Both father and son are drop-outs of foreign universities, both of them have limited political experience, and both were given the privilege in a silver platter. They both are pampered by media, their flaws have been overlooked, and their achievements overstated. Rajiv has disturbed the very fabric of India in ways unfathomable, and we can't afford to have another Rajiv Gandhi as PM.