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.
Informed sources said the burnt currency notes were reportedly brought in sacks and then dumped by workers of a company on Parsa Kheda road at C B Ganj in Bareilly.
Comments
Ha ha naren ....
Dear nothing happened...people are cool ...if khujlee...the majority of Indians are your brothers......Bhai relax.....no fools will burn notes till the last moment.......tax officials and auditors are giving plans to escape....burning is Bjps naatak...anyhow RSS was informed before and the changed Chaddeez to Pants with the black money they had......because khujlee was not....
hahaha faizhal bhai ... black money yella settle ment jora ? ... burnol business jora ? itch guard business thumba joranthe howda ...
looks like it is counterfiet currency , so they burnt , behind we can make out which area is that ... hahaha ... this area is dominted by one particular community ... so this type of things are expected as they got frustrated ... papa ISI handlers are at loss ...
Foolish BJP people just want to show public....see people started throwing away black money...ha ha....they are good in fooling their bhakts who are having the jai jai mantra..
Foolish people .... why to burn the currency .... Deposit 2 laks in each persons account and make it white .... Each family of 5 members can help to convert 10 laks black money in to white .... Instead of burning, donate to the poor people / relatives and advice them to deposit in their bank accounts .... 2 laks per person .... in this way, your headache is gone ... Indians got white funds and poor people / relatives are benefited .... So many benefits with one master stoke ... Naren, Bupa, kaisa hai idea ....
Should have distributed amongst poor people around....
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