PM Modi nothing like Indira Gandhi, says Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi dismissed comparisons between his grandmother Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, and the current PM, Narendra Modi. Speaking to HT, RaGa said PM Modi is nothing like his grandmother as her decisions were driven by 'love and affection'. In contrast, PM Modi's decisions are borne out of hatred, anger and are meant to divide the country, RaGa claimed.
For long now, political pundits have drawn comparisons between Indira and PM Modi. They have both been called dictators. There is also a similarity between their PMOs. Like Indira, PM Modi also governs strictly and apparently there isn't much room for dissidence. Also like Indira's charisma overpowered Congress, PM Modi's appeal makes him bigger than his party.
However, the similarities are unwarranted, believes RaGa. He said Congress didn't destroy institutions, but the BJP did. "Every institution in India is facing Mr. Modi's autocratic backlash. Mr. Modi believes that he is the Lord of India, just like the British believed," he said. He went on to say institutions have to be protected as they are the soul of India.
"We have been in government, we have been in Opposition and we believe that you simply do not touch institutions or attack India's federal structure. And Mr. Modi is not bigger than India. India is bigger than everything and everyone," RaGa added.
Further, RaGa rubbished PM Modi's claims that the mahagathbandhan was not united and it was essentially chaotic. He said there were cracks within Modi's own party as many senior leaders didn't approve of the way he functioned. When asked about his party being snubbed by SP and BSP in Uttar Pradesh, RaGa said they need to push Congress' ideology in the state.
"If I [were to] speak to Mr [Nitin] Gadkari, Ms [Sushma] Swaraj, Rajnath Singh, their [the BJP's] entire leadership, I wouldn't be surprised to find an absolute rejection of Mr. Narendra Modi's style of functioning," RaGa brazenly claimed.
About the top post he gave to his younger sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, RaGa said she would definitely have a national role. "As general secretary, she has, by definition, a national role... I give a job, and then I give another job based on the success of the job," he said. Finally, he accused RSS of violence and said he would fight against it.
