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
Narrow minded Mr. Shetty, in gulf countries somany Hindu girls are working under Arabs/Muslims for the sake of money. Why don't you term them condition to work under Hindus in India.
need job in muslim firm in ramdhan time many hindu womens weariing burka and coming to collect zakat money are you bother about tiz know because need money what a joke ramesh shetty
For your kind information most of all muslim firm many hindu relgious girls working and aslo many bachelore hindu girls working in gulf country tiz is allowed ,what you called for tiz love jihad or love jihd in gulf country shame on you uncultred people....
Rakesh Shetty : people like you are called narrow minded..... Grow up.
i dont understand why people like Rakesh Shetty are so much worried about popularity of Islam.
if they can track who is visiting whom in the locality, I wonder why these goons didnt reach sister Bhavani's house, who died at Janavasati Colony in Puttur taluk’s Vidyapur , and not a single saviour of hindu religion came forward to cremate her.
i wish these goons help their own hindu Koraga families living in shambles in Kulshekar.
And hope the police exhibit same proactiveness to stop moral.policing, drug menace, rapes and control law and order in the district.
looks like police dept is only interested in supporting moral.policing and protecting cows
Non-sence statement given by One Mr. Rakesh Shetty. Why that one sided policy? There are many cases of "Kesari Jihad" by the Saffronists in the recent days. Open your narrow-mindedness before you give such statement.
ಶ್ರೀಯುತ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿಯವರೆ,
ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಕರ್ತನ ಧರ್ಮ. ಈ ವಿಶ್ವವನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಏಕೈಕ ಜಗದೊಡೆಯನನ್ನು ಆರಾಧಿಸುವುದು ಮಾತ್ರವಾಗಿದೆ ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಕಲ್ಫಿಸುವುದು. ಅದಲ್ಲದೆ ತಾವೇ ಸ್ವತಃ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದವುಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂಜಿಸುವ ಗತಿಗೇಡು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರಿಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಯಾರಾದರೂ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ (ಶಿರ್ಕ್ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ) ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕವಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರೂ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಇನ್ನು ಬಲತ್ಕಾರದಿಂದ, ಹಣದಾಸೆಯಿಂದ ಯಾರನ್ನಾದರೂ ಹಿಡಿದು ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಅವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೇರುವ ಗತಿಗೇಡು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರು ಮಾಡಿಲ್ಲ, ಮಾಡುವುದೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಈ ಧರ್ಮದ ಸುಂದರ ಆಶಯವನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಆಕರ್ಷಿತರಾಗಿ ಜನರು ಇಸ್ಲಾಮನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆಯೇ ಹೊರತು, ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರನ್ನು ಕಂಡಲ್ಲ. ಅಲ್ಲಾಹನು ತಾನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸುವವರನ್ನು ಸನ್ಮಾರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ನೀವು ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಖುರ್ ಆನನ್ನು ಕಲಿಯಿರಿ.
ಇಸ್ಲಾಂ ಇಹಲೋಕ ಜೀವನ ಮತ್ತು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಮರ ಜನಸಂಖ್ಯೆಗೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ಪ್ರಾಶಸ್ತ್ಯ ನೀಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಪಾರತ್ರಿಕ ಜೀವನದ ವಿಜಯವೇ ಅದರ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಜಯಶಾಲಿಯಾಗಬೇಕಾದರೆ ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ ಆ ಅಲ್ಲಾಹನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರ ಆರಾಧಿಸಬೇಕು. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ವ್ಯರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ತರ್ಕಿಸಿ ಯಾವುದೇ ಫಲವಿಲ್ಲ.
This is a case of Love jihad, Great Job by Bajrang Dal. we dont have any problem if muslims girls visit our houses. but we condemn hindu Girls visiting Muslim houses. Muslims will do Taqiya to convert hindus by hook or crook,
Add new comment