In a democracy, public opinion weighs more than what opportunist politicians like M³ (Mulayam, Mayawati, and Mamta), Kejriwal, and Rahul Gandhi have to say. From the common man to celebrities, activists (including Anna Hazare), almost all of them are supporting PM Modi’s revolutionary step that aims to curb black money. Even experts like V Vaidyanathan and Dinesh Kanabar believe that this move can help in getting the huge cash pile back in the market.
Bringing parallel economy into the regular economy cannot be painless. People did face inconvenience; but they were happy with their Prime Minister’s decision. As expected, news channels controlled by leftist editors preferred to show interactions with unhappy people standing inside banks and outside ATMs. Thankfully, neutral journalists did interact with citizens who did not mind waiting in the queue and face inconvenience to improve their country’s future.
As pointed out by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, during Congress party’s ten years of rule, they did not take a single step to curb black money. They did almost nothing to control food inflation and help the poor during their entire tenure.
Now suddenly out of nowhere, party’s 47-year-old vice-president Rahul Gandhi has emerged and claimed that their party is pro-poor. Rahul Gandhi popped up for a photo op at Parliament Street based SBI branch with his security guards and bunch of party workers on Friday. He probably visited SBI branch for the first time in his life.
Visuals released by news channels clearly show that Rahul Gandhi’s arrival caused inconvenience to the people at the SBI branch. Individuals waiting for more than an hour were asked to go away as bank officials closed the branch for some time. While most of the people were struggling, some individuals (suspected to be Rahul’s workers) surrounded him and started taking selfies.
Delhi: Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi surrounded by people taking selfies with him at SBI, Parliament street pic.twitter.com/9ojzLXXubD
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2016
“Poor people are facing trouble; I just want to stand with them. I wish to exchange Rs. 4000 from the bank like a common man,”-said Congress vice-president while standing with more than ten SPG men. Does the Congress party think that people are foolish? Intelligence agencies had warned the UPA Government about too many counterfeit notes being circulated in the market. But, Rahul and Manmohan Singh did nothing. His party should be the last one to use words “public” and “welfare.”
Someone has probably asked the 47-year-old to act like an angry young man while in front of the camera.
#WATCH: Congress VP Rahul Gandhi at SBI (Parliament street), says have come here to withdraw Rs 4000, will stand with the people suffering pic.twitter.com/JNrsiKb8XA
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2016
He started laughing after exchanging money inside the bank.
Congress VP Rahul Gandhi at SBI bank (Parliament street), exchanging money from the cash counter pic.twitter.com/xXtPZZkcbV
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2016
Congress spokespersons remain uninformed?
Union Minister Piyush Goyal interacted with journalists from Times Now on Friday. He stressed on the point that during the Congress regime, RBI policies were structured to help certain companies; even banks were forced to favor selected business houses. All the decisions are being investigated, and Congress is completely aware about the same. Still, Con party spokespersons discussed Mallya and Lalit Modi issue on several channels during the last three days. One may wonder if they find time to read newspapers or not.
Are they and their party’s vice-president Rahul Gandhi was unaware that Modi Government has recently requested the British PM to handover Lalit Modi, Mallya, and Christian Michel?
Anyway, getting back to Friday’s SBI ATM drama, journalist Zakka Jacob rightly pointed out during his show that whenever natural calamities happen, whenever there is a problem, Rahul Gandhi reaches the spot to make a political point. He has become a photo op politician.
“What did Rahul Gandhi prove by visiting SBI’s branch? Just told the world that he is standing with the common man? Issuing a press release and conducting a press conference to criticize the government would have proved better. Why did he cause inconvenience to the people who were waiting under the hot sun for more than four hours?”- asked Jacob.
Let’s take a look at how Twitter reacted to Rahul’s recent theatrics:
The guy wearing T-shirts worth Rs 15000 now the question is what he will do with 4000?
— तांबडे बाबा (@CrazyThakare) November 11, 2016
with SPG , media, camera ??? Swiss Bank Jaane walle ab SBI bank Jaane lage. #ByeByeBlackMoney 😂😂
— Kabir Grewalƪϐ (@Kabir_grewal1) November 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/ThilakrajAiyer/status/797043295121608704
https://twitter.com/herohemant6/status/797043819678076929
https://twitter.com/RefugeeBluesKP/status/797046064259932160
#RahulGandhi to exchange notes… to 'stand with ppl facing inconvenience' . #SBI makes line vanish for rahul. He refuses.will stand in line
— Tanvi Shukla (@tanvishukla) November 11, 2016
It will be interesting to know if Rahul Gandhi has been going to ATMs regularly/monthly & withdrawing cash himself: Piyush Goyal #ATMRaGa pic.twitter.com/7HjwAfeUYp
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/Sudhaanshu1989/status/797084076398309377
@OfficeOfRG What about the inconvenience caused by you because of all this drama?
— Deepak Vaishya (@DeepakVaishya) November 11, 2016
Because of his presence with high security and with many Congress supporters, Rahul Gandhi, created more problem than Modi. Please
— RAVI KUPPACHI (@KUPPACHIRAVI) November 11, 2016
https://twitter.com/sadapunekar/status/797029431726501888
@OfficeOfRG u are not sharing pain of common ppl bt causing trouble & inciting ppl standing in queue creating chaos at SBI branch.
— Harshit Kaul (@WandererSS6) November 11, 2016
#ATMRaGa If it was only a photo-op by Rahul Gandhi then I think people of India will not take it well: Piyush Goyal pic.twitter.com/UT57sIbWPy
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 11, 2016
Did #ATMRaGa ever stand in a queue to move up to become VP of @INCIndia while the rest are still supporting him by standing clueless ?! 🤔
— Chitra Vasansetty (@chitravasan) November 11, 2016
#ATMRaGa Suicide of Jawan, Rahul went to hospital with his men & added to the chaos,now went to ATM with his men & added to chaos in ATM
— Suryakantha Reddy#ModiKaParivar (@suryakanthreddy) November 11, 2016
#ATMRaGa : once again he displayed pathetically as a wet cracker. What a shame for the party. Did he declare all unaccounted party fund ?
— CKMurali (@chathothkm) November 11, 2016
#ATMRaGa Rahul Gandhi's 60 minute photo-op for ₹4000. Is a photo-op Rahul's only counter to the Govt? pic.twitter.com/rAErf2hVBa
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 11, 2016
