News behind the News – 08 July 2019

JULY 08, 2019 News the Newsbehind 3

indianpoliticalmainstream

IN

THIS

SECTION

3 CONGRESS: RAHUL GANDHI RESIGNS

4 PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY AND ROLE OF THE OPPOSITION

5 ALLIANCES BASED ON CASTE, RELIGION AND REGION MAY NOT WORK ANY MORE

5 ONE NATION, ONE ELECTION: THREAT TO FEDERALISM

6 EXPERT ANALYSES : JAMMU AND KASHMIR: DEBATE ON ALTERING THE FUNDAMENTALS

MODI 2.0: FOCUS ON

ECONOMIC ISSUES

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Firm on stepping down after the
Congress’ debacle in the Lok Sabha
elections, Rahul Gandhi Wednesday
reiterated to the Chief Ministers of the
fi ve Congress-ruled states last Monday,
that he is “no longer the party president”
and the Congress Working Committee
(CWC) must soon decide on his
replacement. He however, underlined
that he would keep up his fi ght against
the ruling BJP and its ideology. “I will
fi ght 10 times harder.”

Rahul Gandhi’s four-page open
resignation letter, according to The
Hindu, is both a message to and
indictment of his party colleagues.
Gandhi not only held himself
accountable for the 2019 poll debacle
but, more importantly, also made it clear
that heads need to roll. He has been
disappointed over the fact that nobody
else was willing to take responsibility
for the debacle. “Rebuilding the party
requires hard decisions and numerous
people will have to be made accountable
for the failure of 2019. It would be
unjust to hold others accountable
but ignore my own responsibility as
President of the party,” he said in the
letter.

Gandhi also seems to have addressed
a common criticism that the Congress
is more comfortable being the party
in power than the Opposition. “It is a
habit in India that the powerful cling to
power, no one sacrifi ces power. But we
will not defeat our opponents without

sacrifi cing the desire for power and

fi ghting a deeper ideological battle,”

he said.

Gandhi, however, made it clear where

he stood on this issue by defending a

‘strong and dignifi ed’ campaign. He

pointed out that he was alone in his

fi ght against Prime Minister Narendra

Modi.

“We fought a strong and dignifi ed

election. Our campaign was one of

brotherhood, tolerance and respect

for all of India’s people, religions and

communities. I personally fought

the Prime Minister, the RSS and the

institutions they have captured with

all my being. I fought because I love

India. And I fought to defend the ideals

India was built upon. At times, I stood

completely alone and am extremely

proud of it. The Prime Minister’s

win does not negate the breadth of

corruption allegations against him;

no amount of money and propaganda

can ever hide the light of the truth,”

he said.

Gandhi reflects on the need for

the Congress to “radically transform

itself ” in order to be the “instrument”

to “resuscitate” the institutions whose

takeover by the RSS the former party

chief believes to be now “complete”.

He assigns the Congress the role to

unite the country for the retrieval of

the institutions of democracy.

UNCERTAINTY AHEAD

Gandhi’s role in the future party

set up however, despite the resignation,

remains a matter of conjecture. “He

makes it clear that he will continue

to fight for his idea of India as a

soldier of the Congress. But given his

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