NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, who rose to speak on Saturday in Lok Sabha, chose to stick to his strategy to attack the ruling BJP with references linked to Hindu scriptures.
During the debate on the Constitution, the Congress leader drew a parallel between the Dronacharya-Eklavya incident in the Mahabharata and the BJP’s policies towards students, farmers, and job aspirants.
Highlighting how the archer in the Hindu Epic was asked by Dronacharya to cut his thumb, Rahul Gandhi said “The manner in which Dronacharya cut off the thumb of Eklavya, you are busy cutting off the thumb of the entire nation”.
“This is Abhayamudra. Confidence, strength and fearlessness come through skill, through thumb. These people are against this. The manner in which Dronacharya cut off the thumb of Eklavya, you are busy cutting off the thumb of the entire nation…When you hand over Dharavi to Adani, you cut off the thumbs of entrepreneurs and small and medium businesses. When you hand over India’s ports, airports and defence industry to Adani, you cut off the thumbs of all fair play businesses of India who work honestly,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also quoted VD Savarkar to attack the BJP, saying the Hindutva ideologue “did not find anything” Indian about India’s Constitution and that he was more inclined towards Hindu scripture Manusmriti than the Constitution that the constituent assembly prepared.
“VD Savarkar, says he clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution… When you (BJP) speak of protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, you are abusing Savarkar, you are defaming Savarkar,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi, including in his recent speeches, has been invoking Gods, Hindu scriptures and symbols to make political attacks on the BJP. In his last speech in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi invoked the “Chakravyuha” of Mahabharata to accuse the Narendra Modi government of spreading fear and alleged that power was centred around only 6 people.
“Thousands of years ago, in Kurukshetra, six people trapped Abhimanyu in a ‘Chakravyuh’ and killed him. I did a little research and found out that ‘Chakravyuha’ is also known as ‘Padmavuyh’ – which means ‘Lotus formation’. Chakravyuh’ is in the shape of a Lotus. In the 21st century, a new ‘Chakravyuh’ has been formed – that too in the form of a Lotus,” Rahul Gandhi had said in his first speech as leader of opposition in Lok Sabha.
“The Prime Minister wears its symbol on his chest. What was done with Abhimanyu, is being down with India – the youth, farmers, women, small and medium businesses. Abhimanyu was killed by six people. Today, too there are six people in the centre of ‘Chakravyuha’,” he had further alleged.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Rahul’s speech was centred around Lord Shiva. He also made mention of several other religions to drive home the point that all of them preach one thing “Daro mat, Darao mat (Don’t be scare and don’t scare).
The Congress leader had then also held up a picture of Lord Shiva and said his message is about fearlessness and non-violence. He continued showing posters of Gods despite Speaker Om Birla’s repeated requests not to do so.
He targeted the BJP and said those who call themselves Hindus are engaged in “violence and hate” round the clock. “Aap Hindu ho hi nahi (You are not Hindus)” he had said leading to a huge uproar in the House.