The political scene in Rajasthan is fragile at best for the Congress party. Only recently, the Deputy Chief Minister of the State and one of the star leaders of the Congress party, Sachin Pilot, turned rebel. What ensued was Congress dismissing Sachin Pilot as the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan amidst speculations that Sachin Pilot might be involved in a plot to topple the Rajasthan government.
The Congress government alleged that it had an audiotape where BJP leaders have heard offering crores to Congress leaders in a bid to ‘buy’ MLAs in order to topple the Rajasthan government. The BJP has denied these allegations and has filed a counter-complaint against Congress leaders, including Randeep Surjewala for leveling false accusations.
As the allegations fly thick and fast, what has not changed is the ability of Congress to make a fool of themselves on social media.
Talking about “respecting the electorate mandate”, presumably as a jibe to BJP since it thinks that BJP is trying to steal the mandate from Congress in Rajasthan, the official Twitter handle decided to quote former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Quoting Indira Gandhi, Congress tweeted, “Respecting the electoral mandate is quintessential in a democracy. Even the slightest attempt to subvert it is an insult to the hardworking citizens. #CongressKeVichaar“.
Respecting the electoral mandate is quintessential in a democracy. Even the slightest attempt to subvert it is an insult to the hardworking citizens.#CongressKeVichaar pic.twitter.com/KgbXJznWDD
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 18, 2020
While Congress talking about democracy is hilarious in itself, quoting Indira Gandhi to extol the virtues of the electoral mandate is a Shakespearean tragicomedy that almost writes itself.
The Congress quoting Indira Gandhi to lecture its political opponents about the virtues of democracy and respect for electoral mandates is nothing but irony. If there is anybody in the history of this country, who has attempted to wreck the country’s democratic values, it is none other than Indira Gandhi.
Indira Gandhi, whose 1971-election victory against Raj Narain was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court in 1975, imposed a national emergency in the country to protect her political interests. Indira Gandhi, rather than accepting her defeat with all the grace, imposed the draconian emergency and locked up her political opponents in 1975.
The Allahabad Court’s judgment to dismiss the electoral victory of Indira Gandhi from Rae Bareli came from the fact that she had indulged in corrupt electoral practices during the elections. The court had also barred her from contesting any Lok Sabha elections for next six years, which led Indira Gandhi to subvert the country’s democratic procedures stated in the constitution.
Not only that, Indira Gandhi several times in the past misused the provisions of Article 356 to impose President’s Rule in various states for her political gains. During her tenure as the country’s Prime Minister from 1966- 77, and 1980- 84, she had imposed President’s rule for a total of fifty times, which is highest for any Prime Minister.
However, the Congress party, even after four-and-half-decades, seems to be audaciously preaching its political opponents to ‘respect electoral mandates’ by invoking Indira Gandhi, who is only remembered for her attempting to destroy India’s democratic credentials to satisfy her power-lust.
If Congress party believes that it can use Indira Gandhi to take a moral high-ground on the issue of democracy and respect for electoral mandates, then the joke is on the Congress party itself.
Twitter reacts to Congress’ shenanigans
Twitter could not stop laughing after Congress evoked Indira Gandhi to talk about the virtues of respecting the electoral mandate in a democracy. Several people took to Twitter to mock the Congress party for the self-goal that they had made.
Then she imposed emergency.. seems #Pappuism runs deep in the family.. https://t.co/uCevwPDNfv
— 10 Marx (@Agitated_One) July 18, 2020
Others also reminded Congress of how the party has repeatedly murdered the mandate and mocked democracy during their successive tenures.
Jawaharlal Nehru
— Yo Yo Funny Singh (@moronhumor) July 18, 2020
President’s Rule – 8 times
Indira Gandhi
21 months of Emergency
President’s Rule – 50 times
Rajiv Gandhi
President’s Rule – 6 times
PV Narsimha Rao
President’s Rule – 11 times
Manmohan Singh
President’s Rule – 12 times#CongressKeVichaar https://t.co/yfPLivdOK9
And of course, the elephant in the room – Congress was reminded of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi herself.
June 25 1975 https://t.co/5p8SjxpjPz
— Vijay (@centerofright) July 18, 2020
It would almost seem like the Congress party ensures that their Twitter handle effectively competes with Rahul Gandhi when it comes to putting their foot in the mouth.
