Five reasons why Rahul Gandhi’s speech may have long-term impact in Indian politics

Rahul Gandhi’s motion of thanks speech was carefully designed and executed. Firstly, he challenged BJP’s core agenda of ‘one nation, one idea, one religion, one leader and other such hegemonical plots. Secondly, he challenged Modi’s strongman image both in its authenticity and its relevance. Thirdly, he turned BJP’s pet peeve “Hindu khatre mein hai '' on its head by claiming that it is rather the nation which is in danger, not from its own people but from those who surround us, due to Modi’s failed foreign policies. Fourthly, he sternly and confidently countered BJP’s constant attempts at banalization of politics. And finally, he positioned himself as the only obvious leader of a united opposition with a fresh attitude and determination. Here is how it went:

Nationalism Challenged

Perhaps the highest point of the speech was the stunning claim that India is not even a nation (for BJP to run its hegemonic nationalist agenda). While ‘nationalism’, particularly one based on a single ethno-religious identity, has been criticised widely in the West for leading to several wars and bloodshed including the Nazi holocaust the BJP-RSS has normalized their version of Hindu nationalism to such an extent that any criticism is quickly labelled as anti-India.

For the first time such nationalism has been challenged. It was a bold and risky move by Gandhi but one backed by the Constitution which made it all the more effective.

“If you read the Constitution, you’ll find that India is described as a Union of States and not as a nation,” Rahul Gandhi said. There was also a subtle jibe that many in BJP have not read the Constitution, and the irony of it, that they are tasked to abide by and protect it, was not lost on anyone.

He explained that India is a conversation and negotiation between Centre and States and not a kingdom to rule. “No matter what fantasies Modi may have he will never ever rule over the people of the States,” he said, challenging not only BJP’s attempts to weaken the federal structure but also Modi’s image as ‘supreme leader’ of the whole nation.

Challenge to Modi’s Personality Cult

Rahul Gandhi dismantled WhatsApp legends that Modi’s “red eyes” are giving the neighbouring Pakistan and China nightmares and terrorists are trembling in fear at the mention of his name. Instead, Modi has weakened India from inside and outside, he claimed.

India has been isolated by friends and surrounded by foes from all sides. “Why are we not even able to have a foreign guest for the Republic Day Parade?” asked Rahul Gandhi. “The single biggest strategic goal of India’s foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. You (Modi) have brought them together and that is the biggest crime you could commit against the people of India,” he added.

He also established that India does not need a personality cult that Modi projects himself to be because it is harmful. Modi’s confused vision that India is a kingdom that can be ruled by a stick from the centre by a ruler of rulers or a master of masters or a Shahenshah has weakened India internally and the repercussions can already be seen in North East, Kashmir etc.

It was poetic to observe that several times Rahul Gandhi called Modi ‘confused’ and ‘clueless’ - labels BJP leaders have been hurling at Gandhi throughout their careers.

Gandhi reduced Modi’s favourite slogans and acronyms like New India, Make In India, Start Up India to insignificance when he claimed that these will not solve the unemployment problem because the informal sector and small and medium enterprises have been destroyed by demonetisation and GST. Monopolies have been created in the formal sector, the economy is being infected by the AA variant (A reference to Ambani Adani) but big companies will not create jobs, he said.

A leader with a vision and strong data

There was effective targeting of BJP’s core ideology, and Modi’s image on one hand and positioning of himself as the only leader with a vision for India, which even the President seems to not have, on the other.

The former Congress president opened the speech by attacking the Presidential address itself which he found disappointing. “It did not address any of the challenges India is facing today. It was just a long bureaucratic list of things the government claims to have done but had no vision,” Rahul Gandhi said and added, “Two Indias are being created ‘rich India’ and ‘poor India’ and the gap between the two is increasing. 3 crore youth lost employment in 2021. But there was not a word on unemployment in the presidential address.”

“I do not speak with a spirit of criticism but of worry and discomfort with the state of our country,” he said.

Responding to BJP leaders' whataboutery about “60 saal” (the vaguely defined Congress years) Rahul Gandhi said, “The UPA government lifted 27 crores people out of poverty in 10 years. And you (Modi) have pushed 23 crores back into poverty.”

It was the first time that the widely known United Nations figure of India having lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, making us the 2nd leading country in poverty alleviation after China, and MGNREGA one of world’s largest poverty alleviation programmes as per World Bank, was owned with pride by the Congress party.

Over the years in speeches after speeches and TV debates after TV debates the BJP leaders have been spreading misinformation that even though Indira Gandhi gave the “garibi hatao” slogan nothing was actually done towards poverty alleviation. This blatant lie has been countered for the first time directly by the one at the top.

It was a sign that Rahul Gandhi is a man of data and facts, and misinformation and vague allegations will not hold in front of him.

Sharing more data on the state of the nation, he said, “Unemployment is at a 50-year high. The income of 84% of Indians have been decreased, there is a 46% drop in manufacturing jobs in the last 5 years. India’s 100 richest people have more wealth than the combined wealth of 55 crore people of India. The 10 richest Indians have more wealth than the combined wealth of 40% of India. Who did this? Modi ji.”

He also positioned himself as the only obvious choice for the united opposition as he spoke up for the regional parties and their interests, particularly those from the South. “The instruments of the conversation between the states and people are being attacked and captured by one idea. The idea of Tamil Nadu is excluded from India’s institutional framework that’s why no matter how many times you raise the issue of NEET they will not hear you; they will not hear the farmers’ voice because the King does not agree.”

The predictable dynasty-allegation was handled deftly and subtly by asserting that while Modi is clueless and dangerously fiddling with things he does not understand, “My great-grandfather spent 15 years in jail, my grandmother took 32 bullets, and my father was blown to bits, so I understand a little bit about what this country is.”

India is in danger, not Hindus

The combined effect of Modi’s failed foreign policies and inability to provide employment and financial security to the citizens is that our opponents have understood our weakness, Rahul Gandhi said. So, it is not the Hindus who are in danger but India and not from their own people but from China and Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi cautioned the ruling party against being complacent and underestimate the dangers Pakistan and China is posing. “I can see China has a plan and is already putting things in action in Ladakh, Doklam and other places,” he said.

BJP’s politics of fear mongering was thus channelled towards an issue which Modi has been failing to handle for the last 7-8 years.

An intervention against the banalization of politics

Rahul Gandhi sternly countered BJP’s culture of banalization of politics and normalization of everyday hate, violence, and mediocrity throughout the speech.

“I would like this Parliament House to start serious discussions instead of what we have now. The first address today (by Harish Dwivedi) did not behove this house. It was not of the standard this house should be used to or India should watch,” the Congress leader said referring to BJP MP Harish Dwivedi who used his motion of thanks speech to push BJP’s poll agenda.

At several points when BJP leaders interrupted him, he politely told them to sit down and allow him to speak. Before giving the data on poverty reduction he said, “Sure, I would speak on 60 saal to make you happy,” a message that BJP leaders resort to whataboutery to deflect from serious discussions.

At one point when Rahul Gandhi said, “I learn from everybody, I learn from you (BJP)” somebody tried to laugh at him and he shut it down with a straight face by saying, “It is not funny. I really do learn from you.”

When he raised the purported issue of Amit Shah asking Manipuri delegates to take off their shoes no less than Piyush Goyal stood up and alleged “hurt sentiment” the easiest excuse to dismiss someone. But he gave a quick no-nonsense response, “What culture is it that you’ll wear shoes but your guests can’t?”

To conclude, Rahul Gandhi made well-articulated strategic moves through the speech making it one of the best in the Parliament in recent time. However, the real impact of these moves would depend upon how efficiently the whole Congress party rallies around them. Each message given by Rahul Gandhi must reach the last mile to have the potential impact.