Subramanian Swamy's attack on Raghuram Rajan is based on BJP's last refuge of patriotism

The only thing necessary for the triumph of Subramanian Swamy over Raghuram Rajan was that the prime minister do nothing. For reasons rooted in the Narendra Modi school of political convenience, the PM decided to speak up only after Subramanian Swamy succeeded and ensured #Rexit. Rajan’s parents naturally have reasons to be upset with the government. “I feel if the government had responded promptly when the attacks started, possibly he wouldn’t have come to this decision,” R Govindarajan, Rajan’s father and a retired senior Intelligence officer, told The Indian Express, making it clear who was responsible for the RBI governor’s decision to not seek a second term. A lot has already been said about Modi’s predilection for watching the action unfold and intervening only when he finds it convenient. Being a sharp politician, he knows how to time his words and deeds for maximum benefit. Raghuram Rajan’s case is quintessential Modi realpolitik. [caption id=“attachment_2800478” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and Subramanian Swamy[/caption] But how does one explain that to Raghuram Rajan’s parents who saw their son turn into a political pawn; a target of Subramanian Swamy’s personal attacks endured in silence by the government? “The personal attacks (on him) hurt,” his mother Mythili told The Indian Express, adding, “Let anyone question his policies, or style of functioning. But isn’t it unfair attacking someone personally, questioning his patriotism?” When Subramanian Swamy began sniping at Raghuram Rajan, it was apparent that he was acting out a script the BJP and Sangh have perfected: Use emotive issues for petty politics. Employ abstract ideas such as nationalism (rashtravad), patriotism and Hindutva instead of a logical, intellectual debate. Had Subramanian Swamy drawn Raghuram Rajan into a debate on the RBI governor’s record on inflation control, banking reforms, monetary policy or overall economic politics, the BJP leader would have perhaps been exposed publicly. So, he sought refuge in every BJP leader’s last safe house: patriotism. In today’s India, anybody’s — with the exception of Nathuram Godse — patriotism can be questioned. A few decades ago, poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, in his famous nazm Hum Dekhenge, had written that ‘all crowns will be tossed around’ and ‘all thrones will be brought down’. In a tragicomic manifestation of his prophesy, meant originally for dictator Zia ul Haq, saffron parivar hotheads have been questioning almost everyone’s patriotism. From Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to student leaders opposed to Sangh’s agenda and those who do not subscribe to the cultural, culinary diktats of the Hindutva brigade, everyone has been targeted. To malign Rajan, in this farcical milieu of irrationality and intolerance, Subramanian Swamy just had to utter the P word. In fact, Subramanian Swamy is lucky to have cut his own political teeth in a different time. During the Emergency, when Subramanian Swamy was hiding in some foreign locales, while other opposition leaders were languishing in Indian jails, it would have been easy to call him unpatriotic for preferring to run instead of taking on Indira Gandhi. But then, those were different times. Now that Raghuram Rajan’s parents have expressed their anguish, the least the government can do is empathise with them, perhaps even apologise for watching helplessly as attempts were being made to tarnish his reputation. That would be a bigger sign of its penitence and repentance than doling out belated certificates of patriotism to Raghuram Rajan.