Party hypocrisy

The Congress party’s participation in the Ayodhya temple inauguration has placed the grand old party in a predicament. A Malayalam proverb aptly describes their situation: “Stuck in the throat is a thing so sweet that it can’t be spit out, yet it is too bitter to swallow (“Decide on temple invite, IUML urges Congress,” Dec.31, Gulf Today website).

The Congress finds itself caught between the Hindu majority in the Hindi heartland and the Muslim minority in South Indian states. Rahul Gandhi employed this perplexing strategy throughout his Bharat Jodo Yatra to portray his party as “super secular.” This isn’t the first instance of the Congress Party showcasing its flexibility. Consider the beef ban issue: they organised a beef festival in Kerala (where there is no beef ban), by slaughtering a calf and distributing its cooked meat — an action they wouldn’t dare replicate elsewhere in the country.

In contrast to the BJP, the Congress lacks clarity on numerous issues. In the 2019 general election, Rahul Gandhi led the party to a disappointing defeat. In 2024, the same leader, having implemented some fictitious organisational changes, is set to lead the party in the general election again.

Girish R Edathitta,
Kerala, India