In a radical and perhaps a revolutionary decision, the heartthrob of the liberals, Congress President and ‘heir apparent’ Rahul Gandhi has decided to fast at Rajghat in order to maintain communal harmony and protest against the alleged atrocities on the oppressed castes and classes, as imposed by the “dictatorial” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In order to protect and promote communal harmony and protest against the alleged caste violence, the powerful Congress president, along with his able followers, took part in what was a joke of a fast at Rajghat. In the words of Ashok Gehlot, who had sent letters to all the requisite bigwigs of the Congress Party to join the fast and support Rahul’s cause:
“The Congress president has directed for holding fasts on April 9 at all district headquarters. Peace and harmony has been embodied in the soul of this country and the responsibility to uphold it lies with the Congress …. What has happened on April 2 during the Bharat Bandh protests is very unfortunate. It is very dangerous for the social fabric of this country. Clearly, the BJP-led central and state governments didn`t initiate steps to curb violence. Therefore, it becomes even more important for the Congress to lead the nation in tough times.”
Well, this long, enduring hunger strike would’ve created some mayhem, had people been kept in the dark about the entire event and its proceedings. Yes, the strike was long, so long that it lasted for only one and a half hour at a stretch, with continuous breaks in between.
This long fast was actually scheduled for only 5 hours, i.e. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the evening. Fun fact, the fast led by Rahul Gandhi actually started at 1 p.m., after continuous breaks and interruptions. Yes, for the first time in the history, a fast began at the time people return to their work after a lunch break.
Leaders of the Delhi unit of the Congress were allegedly seen tucking into Chhole Bhatures at a local restaurant just before the fast began, in what looked like a sumptuous brunch. Some of the leaders photographed included Ajay Maken, Harun Yusuf and Arvinder Lovely.
Delhi BJP leader Harish Khurana claims Congress leaders were earlier today seen eating at restaurant in Delhi before sitting on a protest and observing fast at Rajghat over atrocities on Dalits. (In pic, Congress leader AS Lovely) pic.twitter.com/OWsIWmwPKP
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2018
But this is where all the hilarity ends. What we witnessed at the fast was not funny. Rather, it seemed like a cruel joke on the country.
More irony and shame was in store for the Congress President, as two important leaders joined him in his fast. Those leaders are none other than Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, the poster boys of one of the ghastliest events to have taken place in India. A former prime minister had once justified the event in question with the words:”When a big tree falls, the earth shakes.”
Not only were they an important part of the notorious team of Sanjay Gandhi, who had made the lives of many Indians a living hell in the dark period of emergency, but they were also allegedly responsible for the brutal massacre of thousands of innocent Sikh men, women and children in the wake of the controversial assassination of ex Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Despite truckloads of evidence against them, the two leaders were never convicted for their crimes, and they still walk free, fearlessly.
It was here that the entire drama stood exposed. In the name of protecting communal harmony, the Congress party was actually promoting those who had broken communal harmony time and again in their lust for power. And if the Congress party seeks to deny these charges, they should explain as to why the two leaders in question were asked to vacate the stage. The drama of a fast was then massively trolled by alert netizens, with some of the prominent politicians criticizing the Congress President for allowing such leaders to share the stage with him.
At the forefront was the Food Industries and Processing Minister Shrimati Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who issued the following tweet:
What we are seeing in Rajghat is no fast, it is only a FARCE!
Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who butchered thousands of Sikhs in 1984 attending a farcical “fast” for unity and harmony! What a joke!
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) April 9, 2018
Others also criticized Rahul Gandhi for his hypocrisy.
If only we did not have the fascist regime of Modi but the ideal era of Sonia Gandhi, Jagdish Tytler would be fasting for communal peace, @PChidambaram_IN for financial integrity, @laluprasadrjd for honesty in public life and @RahulGandhi for merit based leadership.
— Akhilesh Mishra (मोदी का परिवार) (@amishra77) April 9, 2018
6 hours of fasting, 2 hours late.
When you know that all opinion makers are in your team, even optics does not matter 😂— Pratyasha Rath (@pratyasharath) April 9, 2018
All the trolling and jokes apart, one fails to understand as to how a fast, that did not last for even full two hours properly, can be termed a fast. If one makes a comparison, Narendra Modi as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, had fasted for three whole days under the ‘Sadbhavana Upwaas’. If one is more concerned about making sure they do not go hungry for more than a few hours, if one is more concerned about resurrecting the political careers of have-been thugs, why make a fool out of yourself in front of the entire country with such an obvious farce?
