Rahul 2.0
As India gears up for another round of elections, the political landscape seems to be undergoing a subtle yet significant shift.
The Election Commission on Thursday issued a notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “panauti” and “jeb katra” following a complaint from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The term “panauti” roughly translates to harbinger of bad luck and was used by Rahul Gandhi against PM Modi following team India’s World Cup final defeat against Australia. Modi has gone to watch the match held in Ahmedabad’s cricket stadium named after him.
Gandhi had also used the term “Jeb Katra” – a Hindi word for pickpocket – for PM. He had said that a pickpocket doesn’t come alone. He comes with three people. While one distracts, the others steal the money.
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“The pickpocket never comes alone, there are three people. One comes from the front, one from the back and one from the distance… Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s job is to divert your attention. He comes on TV from the front and distracts the public by raising topics of Hindu-Muslim, demonetization, and GST. Meanwhile, Adani comes from behind and takes the money,” Gandhi had said.
The BJP moved the EC seeking action against the Congress leader for his remarks that were “made with a clear intent to harm his reputation and mislead the public.”
In his notice to the Congress leader, the EC said, “It is alleged that comparing a prime minister to a ‘jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and using the word ‘panauti’ is unbecoming of a very senior leader of national political party. Further, the allegation of grant of waivers of ₹14,00,000 crore for the past nine years, is asserted by the BJP, as not borne out on facts.”
The poll body has asked the Gandhi Scion to appear before the Election Commission on November 25, which coincides with the voting in Rajasthan.
The BJP in its complaint had said,”Calling any person for that instance a Jaibkatra not only amounts to vicious abuse and personal attack but also a character assassination of that person against whom such remark has been made with a clear intent to harm his reputation and mislead the public.”
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