‘An apocalypse of hatred, bigotry, intolerance, and untruth is engulfing the country today. If this has not been stopped, it would damage the society beyond repair.’ Congress president Sonia Gandhi laced into Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) .
In an Indian Express article, she expressed her remorse and asked people to not to entertain this and urged them to take some action against it by saying “this raging fire and tsunami of hate” that will “raze all that has been so painstakingly built by past generations” .
She quoted Tagore’s Gitanjali to say its verses were “all the more relevant and have heightened resonance” now.
“Over a century ago, the Nobel laureate poet of Indian nationalism gave the world his immortal Gitanjali of which perhaps the 35th verse has become the most celebrated and most quoted. Gurudev Tagore’s prayer, with its seminal lines starting, ‘Where the mind is without fear…’ is all the more relevant and has heightened resonance today.”
In the article ‘A Virus Rages’, the Congress chief asked, “Does India have to be in a state of permanent polarisation?”
She alleged that the ruling establishment clearly wants the citizens of India to believe that such an environment was in their best interest.
“Whether it is dress, food, faith, festivals or language, Indians are sought to be pitted against Indians and the forces of discord are given every encouragement – overt and covert. History – both ancient and contemporary – is continuously sought to be interpreted to promote prejudice animosity and vengeance,” she claimed.
Her article was published during the time of Ram Navami and hijab row, violence, and the clash in the Jawaharlal Nehru University over serving non-vegetarian food in the hostel mess on the occasion.
Gandhi exclaimed that it is a “travesty”, instead of utilising the resources for creating a bright, new future for the country and engaging young minds in productive ventures, “time and valuable assets were being used up in attempts to refashion the present in terms of an imagined past”.
“The rising chorus of hatred, the unconcealed instigation of aggression and even crimes against the minorities is a far departure from the accommodating, syncretic traditions in our society.”
She remarked, “There is something else more insidious that is part of this new, grand divisive plan to keep India in a state of permanent frenzy. All dissent and opinion that are opposed to the ideology of those in power are sought to be ruthlessly stifled. Political opponents are targeted and the full might of the state machinery is unleashed against them.”
In the article, she said that activists were being threatened and manipulated to be silenced while social media particularly was being used to “propagate what can only be described as lies and venom”.
“Fear, deception, and intimidation have become the pillars of the so-called ‘maximum governance, minimum government’ strategy,” Gandhi said.
Sharing a screenshot of the article on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said, “Every Indian is paying the price for the hate-fuelled by BJP-RSS. India’s true culture is that of shared celebrations, community, and cohesive living. Let’s pledge to preserve this.”
Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the opposition shared a link to Sonia Gandhi’s article on the microblogging site and said, “The sense of hatred and animosity is prevalent in the nation, constantly fuelled by the ruling party BJP.”
Rahul Gandhi, son of Sonia Gandi on Saturday also took to Twitter and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of fueling hate in the country. “Every Indian is paying the price for the hate-fueled by BJP-RSS,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter.
Every Indian is paying the price for the hate fueled by BJP-RSS.
India’s true culture is that of shared celebrations, community, and cohesive living.
Let’s pledge to preserve this. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/Gph8k0TwOb
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 16, 2022