Various spokespersons of different political parties issue some unwanted comments which enables them to garner negative publicity. While taking a political stand, they often hit out with personal attacks against leaders belonging to other political parties which present them in a bad light. While such comments do not necessarily tarnish the image of their party or land them in jeopardy if they can defend their stand with their war of words, educated people are smart enough to understand their motive behind such objectionable statements. They also understand their obligation of having to defend their party and hit out at the opposition. The recent attack on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi by Union Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid was one such example.
Khurshid has called Modi politically impotent due to his inability to handle the 2002 Gujarat riots. The carnage that killed hundreds of innocents belonging to the Hindu and Muslim community has left a permanent scar in the minds of people and is a blot in our political history. However, Khurshid must understand that one gains nothing from scratching old wounds as it would increase the intensity of hatred in the minds of the people. Perhaps he wants to gain political mileage out of this issue. The Congress seems to harp on the 2002 riots as their potential weapon of preventing Modi from coming to power in 2014 elections. Targeting the 2002 riots coupled with BJP’s Hindutva ideology would make Congress hit the birds’ eye as it would prevent one community from voting against him. So Congress, seeped in corruption, is playing the Godhra riots card.
Coming back to the comment, Khurshid has no iota of repentance as he believes that this particular word expresses his anguish best. While speaking to the media, he justifies his stand saying that if there is a better word in the dictionary to express his anguish, he is willing to use that word. Accused of his comment being unparliamentary, Khurshid makes yet another personal attack saying he is not a doctor, he has not physically examined him but knows that he lacks strength to do what he could have done. While that is true, a leading journalist asked him a pertinent question. The question was, does he describe the 1884 riots as also Congress’ political impotence? One needs to look at both these incidents with a similar mindset. Khurshid’s defense that since the leader in concern is no longer alive whereas Modi is alive so he is raising a question has weight. However, one cannot deny the fact that he is only trying to instigate the masses against BJP.
Rahul Gandhi condemned Khurshid’s statement. Manish Tewari said that Congress believed in decent politics. Whatever the case may be, blame game will continue in politics.
