Kozhikode, Jan 18: A "fifth-generation dynast" Rahul Gandhi has no chance in Indian politics against a "hard-working and self-made" Narendra Modi, and Kerala did a disastrous thing by electing the the Congress leader to Parliament, historian Ramachandra Guha said here on Friday.
Guha said the reduction of the Congress from a "great party" during the freedom movement to a "pathetic family firm" now is one of the reasons for the ascendency of Hindutva and jingoism in India.
"I have nothing against Rahul Gandhi personally. He is a decent fellow, very well-mannered. But young India does not want a fifth-generation dynast. If you Malyalis make the mistake of re-electing Rahul Gandhi in 2024 too, you are merely handing over an advantage to Narendra Modi," said Guha on the second day of the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) during his talk, "Patriotism Vs Jingoism".
Addressing the crowd, full of Keralites, he said, "Kerala, you have done many wonderful things for India, but one of the disastrous thing you did was to elect Rahul Gandhi to Parliament."
"Narendra Modi's great advantage is that he is not Rahul Gandhi. He is self-made. He has run a state for 15 years, he has an administrative experience, he is incredibly hard working and he never takes holidays in Europe. Believe me I am saying all this in all seriousness," he said.
But, even if Rahul Gandhi was "much more intelligent, more hard-working, never took a holiday in Europe, as a fifth generation dynast he still will be at a disadvantage against a self-made person", the 61-year-old author said.
He took on Congress president Sonia Gandhi too who, he said, reminded him of the "late Mughal dynasty" and how aloof they were of the state of their kingdom.
"India is becoming more democratic and less feudal, and the Gandhis just don't realise this. You (Sonia) are in Delhi, your kingdom is shrinking more and more but still your chamchas (sycophants) are telling you that you are still the badshah," he said.
Further, he quoted his teacher and noted Indian sociologist Andre Beteille to describe the story of Nehru-Gandhi family as a classic "reversal of the famous Biblical injunction": the sins of the father will be visited upon seven successive generations.
"In the Nehru's case, it is the sins of the seven successive generations have been re-visited upon Nehru... look at the national debate today. Why is Nehru evoked everytime? Why does Modi always say Nehru ne Kashmir mein yeh kiya, China mein yeh kiya, Triple Talaq mein yeh kiye ... because Rahul Gandhi is there.
"Now if Rahul Gandhi disappears, Modi has to talk about his own policies and why they failed," he said.
According to Guha, "Hypocrisy of the Indian Left -- the fact that they loved other nations more than India", "rise of aggressive nationalism worldwide" and "the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in neighbouring countries" are some other reasons behind the evident leap of Hindutva in India in the recent times.
Historian William Dalrymple, novelists like Benyamin, Namita Gokhale, Chetan Bhagat and journalists Karan Thapar and Rajdeep Sardesai are among the many other writers who will be attending the four-day festival.
The focus theme of KLF 2020 is environment and climate change.
Comments
my dear hindu brother and sister dont blive in RSS they are not fighting for hindus they are fight to bring back the bristish rule bcoz they love thm bcoz they get everything wht they frm thm so they want thm back thz the reason they celebrate birth anniversry of killer our father of our nation tippu was curel for british and also for the people who support the british thtz y RSS says tht tippu is curel
India need another brave like Tipu sultan to eradicate RSS from the country.
RSS quotation itself proves that world has no matching personality like TIPPU for Nationalism and defence of country. For British - Tippu, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Ashfakullah Khan, Ghandiji, S.C. Bose... the list is endless.... all were Terrorists. It was Timid Savarkar and Hindutva fascists joined hands with British, worked against mother India and responsible for the massacre of thousands of Freedom Fighters of India. Till today these anti-national forces neither recognised Secular India, nor constitution, tricolour flag, national anthem.. rather they use all these to destroy Secular India. Founder of RSS openly said NOT TO FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH and advocated his goons to fight against Muslims. This is the history of RSS & British
Why siddana and his chelas want to celebrate this coward tippu jayanti.......hope siddana want to make karanataka islamic state by apeasing minority community.....!
This is what RSS is , RSS didn't want independence coz they had a close with British , British even killed Bhagat Singh , Raj guru and sukhdev as traitor but we Indians still treat them as freedom fighters , I think RSS treat them as cruel ????
Shame on u bloody RSS people , you guys have no rights to be in india h better go to ur British bhais.
Dear Cheddies (Now Pantees),
who brought Silk from Persia to India....how many farmers are living beacuse of silk in India...just think it....
I think Cheddis were hand to hand with British against whome nationalist were fighting during independence
Britishers know that because of tipu. India got independence.
To British, Mahatma Gandhi was a traitor & an enimy !
Every patriot was an enimy !
Nathuram Godse was a murderer ! Why should anyone need a lesson by those who celebrate Mahatma's killers jayanti??
Now RSS and British are Bhai Bhai (Brother's).
We got Independent on 1947 But for RSS Chaddis they lost their Freedom on 1947.Wa Re Wa Chaddis.
What if the Tipu was a Hindu. The tune of RSS would be different.
Apna cheddy nahi Sambhal sake. Abhi pant per uthargaye.
All Indians fully understand that the RSS was actively in support of the British, and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to fight for India's independence from colonial rule. Its a known fact that USA has already enlisted RSS a terror group and has to be banned.
If he is cruel for british then of curse is hero for Indians.
If in front of RSS, Mahatma Gandhi is criminal, who else is good fro them.
RSS needs high level medical treatment. This is true not joke.
Whoever discussing any subject where RSS is involved, it is waste of time and finally it is stupidity to talk to them.
Just see what they did to Mahatma Gandhi and how they are glorifying his assassin Naturam Godse.
Unfortunately it is our unluck, still in India the majority of the people are their supporters therefore they were able to keep their puppet BJP in centre.
God, give them wisdom.
Who is British - Grand fathers of rss - they jointly involved in the cruel murder of our father of nation - GANDHI - they are the supporters for anti nationals and hindu terroristssss
British people considered all freedom fighters as cruel. Do you think all freedom fighters are cruel. in fact You guys are cruel. killed mahatma gandhi and other human beings in riots. RSS is following the foot step of Zionist, Nazism. they are deceiving people.
Oh yeah... Your savarkar / glovalkare was following British rules and they were feared of British rulers,. But Shahid Tippu was real tiger / hero of india / world. so british was too worried. Common man bloody RSS now wana prove based on British comments. hehehh.. shameless people. Being a tippu not a Savarkar
Yes ... This is the real face of the cheddis which was hidden for long time..the cheddis will follow their chachas (British) who want to rule over the people just like they used to rule over india and take all the resources and enjoy their life by making others to enslave them...
The hindus who think RSS is fighting for hindus is just a deception... U will surely see this in the near future...
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