Indian politics Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

Sorry, the old RaGa cannot come to the PressCon right now. Why? Oh, cause he’s dead. Let’s explore his journey from the Prince of Political Dynasty, to Pappu, and then Beyond.

Perhaps one of the most interesting things about the General Elections of 2024 was the escalated and expeditious participation from Generation Z, a large strata of whom finally got a direct vote in the election of the Government. This participation was also rooted in the Twitteratis and their constant political pundit-esque commentary that remained persistent throughout this apparent festival of democracy. From the viral “Dimple Bhabhi Hatiye…” tweet to the pookie-fication of Narendra Modi, nobody escaped the brunt of the internet folks. A leading player in the battle for the seat of prime minister was Rahul Gandhi, who displayed a staggering transformation. From him being posted to the edits of ‘Daddy’s Home‘, his subsequent babygirlification and portrayal as the Batman of Indian political scenario et.al., RaGa seemed to be a Twitter favorite; pre, midst, and post the election season. And this, comes as a surprise for someone who has long been ridiculed by both, the politicians and the masses, as ‘Pappu’.

When the National Democratic Alliance, on its third subsequent win, boasts about a new era of Modi 3.0, it is notable that this also embarks the beginning of RaGa 3.0. Something that is even more remarkable is how every epoch of his political career draws a direct parallel to the state of the current opposition in the country. In retrospect it might appear to be a vague statement, however, this opinion piece attempts to substantiate the same, and for that, the political trajectory of Rahul Gandhi needs to be analyzed in a trifactorial manner.

In a political climate that was being conditioned for Priyanka Gandhi to be the new face of the Indian National Congress, with the re-emphasization of her parallels to Indira Gandhi, the launch of Rahul Gandhi as the face of INC was a rather unanticipated change for the politicians and the masses alike. In a direct parallel to Rajneeti (the 2010 Prakash Jha Directiorial’s) Samar Pratap, played by Ranbir Kapoor, ‘a foreign returned relatively less-known to-and-of the political scenario‘ heir was placed into the position of a party supremo. However, that is where the parallels end, while Samar goes on to become a force to reckon with, RaGa displayed a relatively inconsistent political profile. His political prowess at that time focused largely upon as the ‘uniter’ of the nation, working on reducing the caste and religion-based divisiveness in the country. Subsequently, he won from the ancestral seat of Amethi and was popularised as the Yuva Neta, and harbinger of justice, by the media. However, despite this popularised imagery that he had cultivated around himself, he refused to hold positions of power within the INC and rather struck to the youth wings. The launch of RaGa drew a parallel into the INC as it witnessed a rejuvenation of the Gandhi Parivaar within the leadership positions, after 14 years of absence, albeit in an indirect mannerism with Manmohan Singh being the Prime Minister then.

Post the smooth and apparent surged political prowess, the era of Rahul Gandhi 2.0 comes into play with the elections of 2014 and beyond; the General Election of 2014, posed a drastic change in the climate of the Indian Political Scenario, wherein the 10-year streak of the INC was fiercely shattered by the National Democratic Alliance and its figurehead, present Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The dramatic downfall of the INC marked the beginning of RaGa as the undisputed King of Bloopers and the face of Indian Political Memes, the person who was hailed as the Prince of the Politically Dynastic Gandhi Parivar was now ridiculed as ‘Pappu’, and worse. The lack of a proper redressal mechanism from the INC upon the same, and RaGa’s subsequent infamous statements like the ‘potato-gold‘ alchemy theory, the hug in the parliament, misgendering of the Speaker, et.al., cemented the NDA alliances claim of the ‘Shehzada’, in attempts to mock his lack of proper developmental work despite the privilege he was equipped with. A subsequent political debacle also surrounded the Indian National Congress, as it witnessed the lowest-ever tally of 44 seats post the 206-seat mark they achieved in 2009.

Post the 2019 stint of the National Democratic Alliance, and its subsequent chants of Abki Baar, 400 Paar; the public expectation from the erstwhile political bigwig declined, and an absolute majority of the present ruling party was largely accepted and anticipated. Despite the anti-heroic downfall that the INC witnessed, he kept walking (quite literally) and conducted two Nyay Yatras, which is speculated to have become a source of connection between the common man and the INC, and the reason for its subsequent victory in certain places. His newfound oratory skills and social media tactics labeled RaGa as the herald of the change of the apparent de-Modicisation and Democratization of the country. The connection that he attempted to build at a grassroots level, and better redressal skills, led to a surge in the INDIA vote bank, and a subsequent declination in the expected votes for the NDA.

However, RaGa’s relatively newer 3.0 trajectory did not stop there, the 1st July speech in the parliament, ended the era of his silence and negligence regarding the political climate and the flaws of the NDA, as he delivered a speech outlining the very same. The Speech won him further accolades over social media, as the netizens proclaimed that the tectonics of the Indian Political Scenario witnessed a shift that day, the void of an improper Leader of Opposition seemed to be filling. This is followed by his recent visits to places that have been impacted by violence and improper governance like Manipur, Assam, site of Hathras Stampede, loco pilots of Delhi, et.al. This is a clear indication of a political consistency, which he is infamously unknown of. The transition from Pappu to the Leader of Opposition, depicts a shift in the political ball game of the country, a probable subdued indication of the resurgence of the INC, and a new arena into his political trajectory. However, it remains long to be seen whether this political conundrum turns out to be a sham, or has Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally found an able competitor.

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Shikhar Pathak

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Arts & Culture

Is India truly a Democracy?

By Avni Dhawan January 24, 2020

India, known as one of the oldest democracies of the world boasts of registering its name in the list of the most successful governments existing at present. But, to what extent are these records accurate? Do these statistics share a common view with the common Indians? This Republic day, we dive in the history of India’s elective Government and to what level it justifies this title.

Democracy as defined by the Oxford dictionary is – “a form of government that allows the citizens to participate in political decision making, or to elect representatives to government bodies.”

India, is largely considered as one of the greatest democracies of the world, for its unity while housing a huge diversity. But, how far do you think this statement holds true? Do the political leaders in power, indiscriminately represent the voice of the common for real? As per the essence of Democracy, one may doubt that despite of a political party possessing the power the title of “ruling”, is the actual power truly resident in the hands of the Indian voters? Questions like these often pop in our mind when we start our day with our morning dose of chai reading the daily document of latest happenings.

The elective Government of India, in its entire tenure of existence, includes some happenings which make us rethink of us being the citizens of a representative nation. Infact, without any provision to make the person standing in the elections to abide by his words and promises when he gets to rule, one can even perceive the democratic rule of India to be limited only till the proceedings of the election propaganda. The leaders, who at the time of contesting elections claim to invest the people’s money in various developmental schemes, hardly maintain any transparency about the utilisation of that currency after coming into power. Ironically the Government which claims to be belonging to the people, becomes unsuccessful in being truthful and open to the same people.

The common man and woman who, sardonically are of supreme importance in an elective nation, have no direct power to remove the modern day monarch AKA Prime Minister for five complete years, if he proves to be contrary to what he projected himself while seeking the support of the people. All they can do is create pressure on the ruling party by Dharnas, protests or strikes which again by the ultimate power of the modern monarch and his officials are often shunned by their control over the police, as was exemplified by the recent speculation about the incident of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). The opposition which is meant to play a crucial role in guarding the ruling party often ends up in either using nasty ways to brainwash the people causing a turmoil or highlighting only the self beneficent issues, excluding the matters associated with the good of the masses.

Surely, India has progressed massively since 1950 which doubtlessly deserves all the appreciation but yet, there are many deep loopholes, shortcomings and blemishes which require appropriate treatments to maintain the Nation’s spirit of democracy. So, this Republic Day lets not only celebrate the country’s success but also commit to spreading awareness, and take measures to transform it into a true democracy, not only in words but also in action.

Feature Image Credits: Medium

Kriti Gupta
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DUB Speak

Is the Indian Parliament working enough?

By DU Beat December 7, 2019

The last three terms of the Lok Sabha have something in common: the wastage of the parliament’s stipulated working time.

Taking the case of the 16th Lok Sabha which started in 2014 and was dissolved in 2019 a total of 1,615 hours was the actual time the lower house, i.e., the Lok Sabha worked which is a staggering 40% lower than the average working time of Lok Sabha which is 2,689 hours. A total of 16% of the time or the working hours were wasted due to obstructions like walkouts, etc. Coming to the Upper House, i.e., the Rajya Sabha we get to know that it also lost around 36% of its time due to such disruption. If we compare these disruptions to previous Lok Sabhas, we get to know that though the 16th Lok Sabha fared better than its predecessor the 15th Lok Sabha but fared poorly when compared to the 14th Lok Sabha. The 16th Lok Sabha sat for only 331 days which is significantly lower than the average of 468 days. Due to the massive NDA (National Democratic Alliance) majority in the 16th Lok Sabha it passed a total of 133 bills and 45 ordinances which is again more than its predecessor but less than the 14th Lok Sabha or the time of UPA (United Progressive Alliance). To add to this exiguous performance the Rajya Sabha was worse off than the Lok Sabha in terms of efficiency partly due to lack of NDA majority in Rajya Sabha. Even though there have been speculations and accusations that the NDA government made arbitrary decisions and was not discussing the bills enough but the data by PRS Legislative Research ( a prominent research institution based in New Delhi) tells us that more discussions were there in the 16th Lok Sabha as compared to previous assemblies.

In 2019, the Rajya Sabha worked at a distressingly low-efficiency rate of 7% whereas the Lok Sabha work was pegged at an efficiency rate of 77%, which though is more than its compatriot but way lesser than the average of the parliament during the monsoon sessions which normally is around 95%. These facts and figures show that nowadays political parties want to have an argument rather than a rational debate which just results in the delay of the government’s work and the citizens’ taxes. Even during the Question Hours of the parliament, the opposition tends to stick to its questions and not listen to the answers. It has been estimated that each working day of the Indian parliament costs the Indian taxpayers around Rs. 6,00,00,000 or Six crore rupees. The solution to this problem is not as simple blaming the other side for such disruptions rather it requires a sustained effort from the government’s side which should teach the MPs or the Members of the Parliament about the mannerisms under which they should conduct themselves in, as these are not mere politicians but elected representatives of more than 1.3 billion Indian Citizens who need to work tirelessly for the betterment of this nation.

To get a better perspective on the issue, we asked some students about their views on the problem. Khushi Malhotra of Maharaja Agrasen College, says, “Efficiency isn’t present there. These people make the decisions for our nation, but still, political propaganda is given more importance than actual decision making. Often the opposition just tries to avoid passing bills for the ruling party like the Prasar Bharati Bill, 1979”. Apart from this another student, Sriya Rane from Cluster Innovation Centre (DU), tells us, “The Indian Parliament only works for 75 days while in Britain the working days amount to 152. Even though absenteeism has now reduced but still the problem is there. In other countries, the MPs are paid according to their attendance but in India, the salary is on a monthly basis and thus the MPs aren’t motivated to come to the parliament itself. Thus, the productive output of the parliament isn’t optimum”.

Feature Image Credits: Surbhit Rastogi for DU Beat

Aniket Singh Chauhan

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University of Delhi – The Cradle for Indian National Politics

By DU Beat July 11, 2019

With a remarkable number of politicians on-field who have graduated from The University of Delhi (DU), one can aptly caption the Varsity as the cradle for Indian Politics. It then becomes very natural to ponder upon the question: ‘What makes DU the ideal place for politics?’

Shashi Tharoor, Arun Jaitley, Kapil Sibal, Maneka Gandhi… and the list continues.

A common thread which connects all of them is their Alma Mater= DU.DU stands as a place which serves as the first turf for experiencing and coming face-to-face with the many realities and images of India one hears through the thousands of students who come here from all walks of life, from all places, and from the lengths and breadths of our nation.

Calling it the cradle for Indian National Politics seems natural enough because of various factors, all of which fall just in the right place justifying the title so. These are:

LOCATION

Vicinity and closeness to the lawmakers matter a lot. Being in the capital of the nation gives the student politicians and protestors of DU a handy advantage of being capable enough to have their voices heard in the power centre of the country, thereby not only presenting up the demands concerning university life, but also of the things they observe around themselves. The age-old proverb, Dilli door nahi, rings a familiar bell.

PLATFORM

DU offers the ideal place to bring out your voice, your opinion, and your views on any and every matter that concerns you. Be it through performing arts or through student protests, your voice will not go unheard here. The ideal place for expression and to get into action, DU shapes your personality by bringing the importance of politics close to you.

DIVERSITY

It is in DU that you get to actually experience India, through the eyes of students who come from all parts of the nation. Be it the North-East or down South, DU does not limit itself just to North India but accepts and stands as a melting pot of cultures, traditions and experiences students from all walks of life have to offer. Their experiences make you more receptive, aware and alert of things that are happening in the country and fail to reach up at levels of concerns. The DU experience sensitises you to the nation you are living in and what issues are pulsating through its veins.

Hence it wouldn’t be wrong to say that DU stands tall as the mighty cradle for grooming the leaders of our nation, leaders who are inspired, motivated, evoked and aware of the ground realities and ready to ace up the face of the Indian political scene.

Feature Image Credits: Niharika Dabral for DU Beat

Amrashree Mishra

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Rahul Gandhi and His Changed Style of Politics

By DU Beat August 8, 2018

Rahul Gandhi, who was for long treated as fodder for political jokes, seems to have dynamically changed and challenged the naysayers, in his recent fiasco at the parliament.

Rahul Gandhi has been an interesting figure in Indian politics. He is a media favourite, his smallest of actions carefully dissected and disseminated for public scrutiny. On Friday, 20th of July, what Rahul Gandhi did took the nation by surprise. The no-confidence motion and the visuals it offered, have fascinated the country even today, almost two-weeks later. While it was clear the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had the numerical strength but it was an unsatisfactory one. The motion itself was nothing special but the action of the Amethi MP and Congress president Rahul Gandhi created a perfect digital moment which went viral, triggered conversations and has already become a trending meme. The nation is well aware how fond our Prime Minister is of hugs. It seems Mr. Gandhi decided to beat him in his own game.

The hug has received both criticism and accolades but one thing can be said for sure that the Congress has learnt the importance of “symbolism and imagery “which is a key tool for a politician in the digitalised world today. So one could come up with a few explanations for the hug. It may have been an attempt to project the ruling party leaders as aggressors. Modi has often weighed down the opposition leader under his Nehruvian- Gandhi legacy. Maybe Gandhi’s hug could pre-empt the Prime Minister’s and other BJP leaders’ personal attack on him and his party in the course of the debate during the no-confidence motion.

The act could have been a tongue in cheek jibe at Modi’s act of hugging eminent political leaders in his attempt to establish cordial international relations with them. While the foreign policy at this moment is in shambles, his act may have been a clever attempt to remind the country about the government’s failure at this front. One might call it a shady move to highlight a contrast between the ideologies of the BJP/Sangh Parivar and the Congress. The Congress has often accused the Sangh of spreading the ideology of hatred and “angry hindutva” whereas the party asserts that its ideology stands for love and inclusiveness, especially in light of the recent incidents of killings and mob lynching of the poor and marginalised sections of the society.

Although there’s no denying that the hug was awkward, bizarre, unnatural, and most un-parliamentary. Rahul Gandhi invited a well-deserved rebuke from the speaker. He was finally put in his place, by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Hugging the prime minister might make a mockery of parliamentary rules, decorum and regulations, but it ensures that for once, people will keep talking about Rahul instead of Modi. One cannot deny it was a political masterstroke.

It is impossible to find out whether the hug was impromptu or a well-planned move. It would be to much of an exaggeration to state that a hug would completely change congress fortunes in the 2019 elections though. While this “hugoplomacy” might get congress media attention a serious change in campaign and policy strategies is what congress needs at this hour.

Feature Image Credits – NDTV

Bhavika Behal

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