Indian Politicians are no more a protected specie

This Semester I have gone back to my old love, the undemanding and unconditional and “sada-bahaar” love of reading. With three novels already read  and long hours spent on reading newspapers everyday I have become a reading buff lately. So much so that one day my room mate inquired if I really leave anything unread including those matrimonial ads and tender notices. Whatever said or made of this reading, I am sure that nothing happens in this world without me noticing it in the newspaper. So last week while having the breakfast and having a look at the top stories I noticed the headlines in a  leading daily screaming at the top of the page or voice or whatever “Rahul Gandhi slams the ordinance”, and in a matter of seconds due to this act of the CONGRESS VP “politicians are no more a protected species”.

The entry of Rahul Gandhi during the Pune conference is being touted as a politically staged act. With Ajay Maken, the AICC General Secretary supporting the bill vociferously and Manmohan Singh on his visit to US everything was hunky dory till the unthinkable happened. Rahul Gandhi, in the past has been accused of being soft on issues of public importance, and with the Lok Sabha elections approaching this image really makes him weak against the dynamic and the hard lineist Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi when asked to comment on the ordinance protecting the tainted ministers,with assertion remarked “this is a piece of trash that should be thrown away”.

Although the choice of words was not too diplomatic and considering the fact that the ordinance had been approved by the Congress brass, the young leader not only indirectly accused the top congress leaders of passing a piece of trash but also took a stand that he generally refrains from. This remark not only sent shock-waves throughout the country but also overshadowed the PM’s bilateral meeting with Nawaz Sharif which until yesterday was the much hyped and discussed news. Ajay Maken who was supporting the bill in the conference was left red faced and retracted from his pro-ordinance stance, displaying an act of astute indecisiveness.

Now that Rahul Gandhi has rejected it, the ordinance is bound to be taken back during the nest session of the parliament. But the people are wondering “how can a decision so important, pass without being noiced by Rahul Gandhi who is in the core committee of the Congress”. “Was it really the public sentiment that drove Rahul Gandhi to reject the bill publicly in this way or is it a strategy of garnering support for Rahul Gandhi before next Lok Sabha elections at the cost of the PM who has nothing to lose as far as political image is concerned”.

Whatever be the reason or strategy whether political or social this timely intervention of the Gandhi scion has saved Congress from facing public outcry had the ordinance passed before the ruling of the trial court in the Fodder Scam which would have saved one of the key Congress allies. This has also prevented future law breakers from contesting in polls, rightly said “a stitch in time saves nine.”

But the all said and done the question yet to be answered is “is public so dumb to not see through this  two faced politics”. These upcoming will surely be a curtain raiser will tell us truly which way the wind blows till then enjoy this desi show of masala politics.