‘Pappu’ In The Line Of Fire

No right-thinking politician, irrespective of party affiliation, should be comfortable with a situation in which an elected opposition leader is repeatedly subjected to police action, detention and physical manhandling while participating in peaceful democratic protests. Rahul Gandhi may be dismissed by his political opponents as “Pappu”, but such political ridicule cannot become a substitute for democratic engagement. Whatever his shortcomings as a politician, there is little reason to doubt that he carries a genuine concern for progress, peace and justice. He remains a politician struggling to find his place in a political environment that is often unforgiving, cynical and deeply competitive. His political inheritance is also marked by tragedy. His grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi were both assassinated, leaving a legacy of personal loss that few political families in India have experienced .Rahul has often shown the courage to raise uncomfortable questions, particularly on issues concerning inequality, democratic institutions and the rights of ordinary citizens. His problem, however, is that while he may have the ammunition to fire, he does not always hit the target. His political messaging can be unfocused and his execution sometimes falls short of his intentions. But political ineptitude is not a crime, nor does it justify the use of state power against an elected leader. The events of October 6 are particularly disturbing. At the entrance to the Election Commission of India, Rahul Gandhi was reportedly manhandled by police before being taken away in a waiting police van and detained in connection with the INDIA bloc’s protest over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. This was not an isolated incident. On July 21, he was detained during a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence over police action against students. Earlier, on October 1, 2020, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were stopped and physically confronted by Uttar Pradesh Police while they were travelling to Hathras to meet the family of a gang-rape victim. In May 2011, Rahul was arrested and detained for about 19 hours in Bhatta Parsaul during farmers’ protests against land acquisition for the Yamuna Expressway project. The repeated use of police force against a major opposition leader should concern everyone, regardless of political allegiance. Democratic governments are expected to tolerate criticism, dissent and protest, provided they remain within the law. An opposition leader does not become a threat to the nation merely because he challenges the government. The larger issue is not Rahul Gandhi himself but the principle he represents. If the government disagrees with his allegations, it should answer them politically and factually. If his claims are wrong, they can be rebutted. If his protests violate the law, due legal procedures can be followed. But physical intimidation, arbitrary detention or the excessive use of police power only strengthens the perception that the government is intolerant of criticism. A constitutional democracy cannot function on the principle that those in power are entitled to silence those who question them. Opposition politicians who expose failures, demand accountability and speak for citizens are performing an essential democratic function. They are not anti-national merely because they stand on the other side of the political divide.The people, ultimately, are the final arbiters. If such conduct continues, voters with a conscience will have the opportunity to pass their judgment at the ballot box in 2029.