THERE cannot be a bigger truth than the angry statement made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to slam the stubborn attitude of Congress leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi. The BJP spokesperson Mr. Sambit Patra nailed it perfectly when he said, “Rahul and responsibility never go together” as the party castigated Mr. Gandhi for his ill-advised visit to Manipur. The ethnic strife-torn North-Eastern State is again on the boil and Mr. Gandhi’s visit to the relief camps in Churachandpur only poured more fuel in the fire. It was one political drama that could have gone horribly wrong for Mr. Gandhi but he seemed hell-bent on showing his irresponsible trait for the sake of a few eyeballs. The pathetic behaviour of refusing to adhere to security procedures and keeping the entire machinery on tenterhooks does not suit a leader who once helmed the Grand Old Party of India.

 

Then again, Mr. Gandhi shied away from the responsibility of leading the Congress in an abrupt decision which again corroborates the BJP’s scathing observation about Mr. Gandhi’s penchant. The Manipur visit by the former Member of Parliament was ill-timed to say the least and was arranged with an aim to derive political mileage, if any. It was a big security risk and the government promptly flagged the plans by Mr. Gandhi to take a road trip to the relief camps in Churachandpur. Mr. Gandhi was also advised to take a helicopter as his road trip was opposed by various quarters. It was in no way a denial of chance to meet the victims of the ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur. Yet, Mr. Gandhi used the serious issue to make out a political drama for the sake of cornering the government. It was an abhorrent attempt by the Congress leader to use a crisis for petty personal gains. The latest episode is in line with the series of missteps Mr. Gandhi has taken in his political career. Almost every attempt bore a stamp of irresponsibility and arrogance, something that goes against the basic culture of a public representative. Be it the tearing of an important ordinance brought by his own government or the wild allegations on a deal for fighter jets, Mr. Gandhi was always off the cliff without thinking about consequences of his actions.

 

On almost every occasion, the former Congress President faced huge embarrassment yet he refuses to learn from the mistakes. The ordinance he tore apart to show then Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh in poor light has come back to haunt him as it was instrumental in his removal as the Member of Parliament in a defamation case. Despite making allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jets purchase from France by the Government of India, Mr. Gandhi could not prove it and had to tender an apology in the Supreme Court for slandering Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. He had also flirted with a serious legal trouble when he paid a visit to a rape victim and later made her name public. It is punishable as per the legal provisions. The list is long and is likely to stretch further given the reckless behaviour Mr Gandhi indulges in for saving his political career. One wonders whether Mr. Gandhi was deliberately advised to lock horns with the security machinery and the government to create sensation out of his Manipur visit. If it was the case, then Mr. Gandhi is better advised to look into his own house for those who are wishing ill for their former party chief. For, Congress does not have a great legacy to boast about in the North-Eastern States when it was in power at the Centre. It had left many serious issues hanging by fire which are now snowballing into larger conflicts. Being a prime Opposition party, it is Congress’ duty to help defuse the ethnic tensions in Manipur. But Mr. Gandhi is perhaps driven by a totally different agenda.