Why Rahul Gandhi should look at his family’s history and stop playing with fire in Punjab

There was a time when you could joke about Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Papputva’ or ‘Pappuisms’. But, I think, we should note with concern that he has come of age. One could discount his rantings as that of a failed politician who never took responsibility directly, but was an occasional tourist of Indian politics who needed fresh foreign air after two weeks in Bharat. He was a tragedy tourist, habituated to tweeting some random thoughts, probably influenced by his ‘handlers’. Now, he is deliberately divisive and out to spread poison of hate in Indian society.

He has become a vicious cynical politician, to put it simply.

He tells us that India had not heard of ‘lynching’ before 2014. He said this when two people accused of ‘Be-adabi’ were lynched to death in Punjab ruled by his party and his chosen chief minister. While ‘be-adabi’ is a condemnable act, it is equally condemnable that Rahul Gandhi’s own government has not taken any action against the perpetrators of lynching. In fact, in case of Kapurthala, the police officer took a U-turn live in front of cameras as he got a mysterious phone call. There is definitely a conspiracy to create friction in the society. But, if the persons accused of ‘be-adabi’ are killed, how can conspiracy be uncovered? It was precisely this kind of molly-coddling of violent elements that saw Punjab falling into deep abyss of violence for nearly 12 years. Akalis are no better, but let us focus on Rahul Gandhi at present as he is the chief agent provocateur these days. From bumbling support to ‘Tukde Tukde gangs’ of JNU, to irresponsible backing of CAA that saw riots in Delhi, to blind backing of farmer leaders, many of whom were out to create explosive violence, Rahul has come a long way. He is no more a bumbling ‘Pappu’ but a person abetted by crooked minds who will not stop at anything to gain power. It is true that the term ‘lynching’ was popularised after 2014 by Leftist friends of Rahul to demonise Hindus. More cow protectors, including Muslims, Dalits and police, have been lynched by cow smugglers. How many of us remember the Khairlanji outrage in Maharashtra under the Congress when a poor tribal, Bhaiyyalal Bhotmange, was lynched in cold blood in his own house by a mob and his wife and daughter were paraded naked? But who cares for truth? Earlier such acts were called ‘riots’. Even the pogrom of 1984 against Sikhs across India was labelled as riots. The 1948 pogrom post-Mahatma Gandhi assassination in Pune-Sangli-Kolhapur was simply removed from contemporary history. Estimates vary from 800 to 8,000 killed. Official records have been wiped off. Creating divisions within Indian society and hate against Hindus by making such statements is not foolish but devious. This deviousness at the time when Khalistani agents are raising their heads again is sad for our nation. Khalistani monster was a creation of the Congress who deliberately delayed formation of Punjabi suba, didn’t give Punjabi language the prime position and refused to allow peaceful governance to Akalis. Carving out linguistic states began in 1953 but Punjabi got its due in 1966. Then, it did not allow the Akali governments to last, leading to the drafting of dangerous ‘Anandpur Sahib resolution’. Indira Gandhi created Bhindranwale to outwit the Akalis and also keep ambitious Sikh leaders like Giani Zail Singh within the Congress at bay. Both the Congress and the Akalis felt they could ride the tiger of ‘fight for purity’ and rule Punjab but unfortunately it never happens. You jump onto a tiger, may ride it for some time but ultimately you can’t dismount it and get consumed. Akali leader Sant Longowal went to the extent of claiming that Bhindranwale is the danda with which they could beat the Congress. But, they couldn’t. He too was killed. Khalistani insurgency consumed leaders of both the Congress and the Akali Dal. It also spilled the blood of RSS workers who refused to allow division of Hindus and Sikhs which was the prime motive of separatists as it could lead to split of the society. This is the reason RSS is demonised and hated by Khalistani elements and their shadowy political supporters. I used to travel to Punjab regularly during the 1980s and the 1990s every other month. I must admit that even at the peak of those violent days, there never was such a wide schism between Sikhs and Hindus that we see today. You can listen to these whispers of hate if you talk to Sikhs from highest strata of the society to the common taxi wala, etc. Situation is alarming. The only difference between the 1980s and now is that there is a strongly patriotic, uncompromising government at the Centre. Why is there a rash of ‘be-adabi’ suddenly? Like in the 1980s when beef would be thrown into temples and cigarette stubs were thrown into gurdwaras, now we have sudden rise in ‘be-adabi’. Hindus and Sikhs are still intertwined so closely in Punjab that there is no chance of any sane Hindu or a Sikh perpetrating sacrilege against each other’s faiths. By letting the situation smoulder, letting a successful government of his own party go to seed with infightings and falling into the trap of Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi has helped charge up the mischief mongers. Rahul Gandhi and his darbaris don’t get tired of recounting the sacrifices of the Nehru family for the nation. I respect the martyrs and their sacrifice. However, the sad truth is that it was their own creation. How can he fall into the same trap that consumed Indira Gandhi and Beant Singh, Lalit Makan, VN Tiwari, etc, who stood with KPS Gill to suppress the violent separatist Khalistani movement? Converting a purely economic issue of the farm laws into a religious conundrum was the handiwork of both the Congress and the Akali Dal. The way gurdwaras were misused this time for political propaganda and silence of the Congress on it are a give-away. Captain Amarinder Singh did realise his folly in instigating farmer leaders, but to his credit he realised his mistake and drew back firmly. Navjot Singh Sidhu’s incendiary remarks against conspiracy of sacrilege and Rahul’s own poisonous talk about ‘lynching’ and sustained divisive statements in search of vote-banks have poured petrol on the highly volatile situation in Punjab. Conspiracy of bringing Punjab to the edge on the issue of sacrilege must be unravelled urgently to find out whether it is Pakistan or politicians of Punjab who have lit the fires. We don’t know yet. But onus is on Rahul Gandhi to halt Punjab’s rapid fall into the 1980s’ situation. India cannot afford another round of bloodletting that saw thousands of innocents killed whom majority were Sikhs. The Akali Dal must stop fishing in troubled waters, and realise that they were helpless when ‘the boys’ — supposedly the danda to beat the Congress with — refused to listen to them. Rahul has come of age in a vicious manner. He needs to pull back so India doesn’t stare down an abyss of his making. India needs to stop treating him with kid gloves and make him accountable. The writer is a well-known author and columnist. The views expressed are personal.

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