On the issues of ideology and national security, it’s advantage Narendra Modi and BJP all the way

The Congress party has launched its pan-India campaign for the general elections by targetting the BJP and the Narendra Modi government by holding it responsible for all the problems of the country.

The ruling BJP has responded to the Congress attack by going on the offensive and questioning the Congress culture and pointing out how it has deviated from the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi and the freedom fighters who had sacrificed their all for the cause of the nation.

Addressing a Congress rally at Adalaj village of Gandhinagar district in Gujarat after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Tuesday, the newly appointed Congress National Congress general secretary of eastern UP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said that the government was not talking about the real issues while people were being divided and hatred was being spread. She also laid stress on the need for building awareness among the people. Equating awareness with patriotism, she said that if it is used as a weapon without harming anyone, the county will become strong.

On this occasion, Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Modi and the BJP led NDA Government at the Centre. He referred to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as Gabbar Singh Tax equating it with the brute character by the same name in Sholay, the much acclaimed and popular Bollywood blockbuster.

Blunting the Congress tirade against him and the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been quick in going into the overdrive mode and calling upon influencers from all fields, including politics, industry, sports, films and other walks of life to take the lead in spreading voter awareness and value of high voting. He has expressed the hope that these elections would witness the highest ever turnout in the history of Indian elections!"

Paying tributes to Gandhi ji and all those who had marched with him to Dandi, PM Modi has shared his thoughts on the Dandi March – especially the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and his aversion to the Congress culture on his blog. Highlighting Mahatma Gandhi's concern for the poor, Modi has said that in all aspects of his government’s work, the guiding consideration is the welfare and progress of the deprived sections but sadly, the antithesis of Gandhian thought is the Congress culture.

Modi’s argument comes like a knockout punch vis-a-vis the main opposition when he says in a matter of fact manner: “Mahatma Gandhi was a firm believer in democracy. Ironically, Congress imposed Emergency and trampled over the democratic spirit. The Congress misused Article 356 several times. If they did not like a leader, that Government was dismissed. Always eager to promote dynastic culture, Congress has no regard for democratic values. Gandhi Ji had understood the Congress culture very well, which is why he wanted the Congress disbanded, especially after 1947.”

What Modi has pointed out on his blog is already a topic of discussion on social media and also in drawing room circles and among the commoners on the street. Modi’s stock has grown manifold particularly after the air strike against the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps in Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack. The anti-terror operation inside Pakistani territory is being treated as a turning point in the war on terror and the Government of India’s strategy to handle the Kashmir crisis.

It’s advantage Modi and the BJP at this stage when campaigning is still picking up for the Lok Sabha elections, as the Congress refuses to come on the same page with the government of India on the crucial issue of terrorism and national security.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)