Though Rahul Gandhi has finally made an attempt to take part in animated debates in Parliament, >his use of the term ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ to describe the BJP-led NDA government does not suit his stature (April 21). Since the comment was directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it amounts to a “personal attack”. In his long term as the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru never made such uncharitable and personal comments. Even Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were careful about what they said and were able to use word power in an effective way. One can be witty and caustic without getting personal.
M. Somasekhar Prasad,
Badvel, Andhra Pradesh
Even the staunchest critic of Rahul Gandhi has to be gracious enough to acknowledge that his fiery speech on the floor of Lok Sabha, on the plight of farmers, did put the BJP leadership on the backfoot. Peppered with occasional humour and with digs at the ruling dispensation for its failure to deliver on its tall promises, the young Gandhi left his listeners spellbound, something the demoralised party workers of the Congress have been anxiously waiting for. He seems to have recovered from the ridicule he has been subjected to. But Rahul must also realise that a solitary speech like this will not sustain his acceptability as an effective leader both within and outside the party, unless he is prepared to undergo a total transformation into someone passionately involved in lifting the party’s fallen fortunes. He may have reinvented himself, but he must now sustain his engagement with the masses on a regular basis.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
The flashy comeback of Rahul as the hero of the plough and the peasant will come as a whiff of fresh air to the desperate Congress. But his allegation, namely that the ruling party owes its success at the hustings to corporate barons, is uncharitable as history will show him that his party, the Congress, ‘patted the rich and tapped the poor’ since Independence which drew flak from even leaders like Rajaji. Has he forgotten the farmer suicides? Media surveys have shown that at least three-fourths of farmers opt for alternative jobs to keep hunger at bay. However, Rahul breaking his oppressive silence and speaking out adds a welcome dimension to his stature.
K. Panchapagesan,
Bengaluru
