The 2019 general elections have been filled with controversies and political jibes. However, one man who has consistently shown dignity and grace in handling the mockery, targeted at him or his family, is Rahul Gandhi.
Here is a list of seven times when Rahul Gandhi replied with dignity to political jibes:
1. In a very shameful act, prime minister, Narendra Modi, had attacked Rahul’s father Late Rajiv Gandhi. At a rally on May 4, Modi said, “Your father’s life ended as Bhrashtachari No 1.” (most corrupt).
The way Rahul took this is just praise worthy.
2. In an interview with the Outlook magazine, Rahul Gandhi was asked “The PM and the BJP have gone on and on, and tried to portray you in a certain way. They have called you Pappu. You’ve taken all this very stoically.…”
His reply was “No, I haven’t taken it stoically, that’s not needed. I’ve taken it with happiness. I enjoy myself. When someone abuses me or says something nasty about me, I listen carefully to what they’re saying. I’m a listening person, and try to learn from everybody. My basic tendency is to return hatred and anger with love.”
3. In an interview with the New Indian Express, when he was asked whether his ‘nice guy image is a drawback vis-a-vis Modi’ attack, Rahul said, “Look, there’s no contradiction. You say one can’t use love in politics? …The idea that I have to respond to hatred and anger with hatred is a foolish one. When I responded to Mr Modi’s vitriol with a hug in Parliament, I think that was a genuine statement I made, but politically it was a very powerful statement as well.”
4. While this election has been full of hate speeches and personal attacks, Rahul Gandhi has constantly reiterated his stand of using love to counter the evil forces. On May 14, he tweeted:
5. In an exclusive interview to Tribune India, Rahul said that Modi’s attack on him and his family is the result of his anger.
He says, “Mr Modi makes excuses…..But he is not going to be able to escape with excuses this time. And that is why he is abusing my family in panic… when Mr Modi gets angry with me and insults my family, and anger rises in me, or in a sense when the Modi in me rises, I recognise it for what it is worth and I erase it immediately…”
6. In the same interview, when he was asked whether Modi’s attack on Rahul’s father are in response to his “chowkidar chor hai” campaign, Rahul replied in a very dignified manner.
He Said, “No, he’s scared! He’s basically been outmanoeuvred…Now , he’s abusing me. And I’m absorbing that abuse. He has taught me how to react to hatred. So he has done me a big service. The last five years I’ve realised you can’t cut hatred with hatred. You have to cut hatred with love and that’s the gift Mr Modi has given me. And that’s why I have love for him. I thank him for giving me this gift. It has changed my life.”
7. Over the controversy of Rajiv Gandhi using warships for his personal holiday, as alleged by Narendra Modi, Rahul very subtly attacked the PM.
He said, “..Mr Narendra Modi is obsessed with my family. I’m not obsessed with my family. I don’t think about my father, grandmother or great-grandfather as much as Mr Modi does. He thinks that that’s the place where he’s going to find his escape. Best of luck to him!”