Dilip Cherian Thinks We're All Warring Tribes

India is NOT a momentary collection of tribes

Dilip Cherian, a very well known PR consultant, and known as someone close to the Congress party ecosystem, put his entire foot in his mouth.

Gives ammunition to BJP: In an interview he is seen saying India is “just a momentary coalition of unfriendly tribes put together under one flag and we need to recognise that”.

• "India functions best when there is no leadership of any kind."

• "The Kashmiri has probably 2% to do with what a Keralite believes in."

• Coming from a pro-Congress person, these quotes will likely be picked up by BJP side and hammered, deservedly so, in the campaign.

It gets tiring to respond but these views will keep coming. Because it forms the very basis of Left-liberal worldview when it comes to India.

• To these individuals and ideologues, the Indian Constitution is the only thing that unifies us.

• For most Indians, the view is that the current Republic is but a vehicle to take forward an ancient civilisation.

• Where most Indians will see the undeniable cultural unity from Kashmir to Kerala (hint: Kashmirapuravasini is invoked every day in lakhs of homes, even in the south), the Left will always see the glass as half empty.

• You can cite the Vishnu Purana verse, speak of the Vedic basis of culture even in Sangam age of Tamil region or point out the totems of continuity from Sindhu Saraswati civilisation to present-day Hindus. It would all be in vain.

Incidents from Nehru's life. Cherian's video this morning reminded me of a couple of incidents from Pandit Nehru's life.

• Even until the late 1950s, Nehru would go around trying to convince 'stout' Jats that the 'Bharat Mata' in the 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogans was nobody but the people of India themselves.

• This was a more materialistic view devoid of anything spiritual, mystical or cultural. This view significantly mellows down towards the later years.

• Responding to slogans of 'Panditji Ki Jai' Nehru would bend down, pick up a little mud and with tears in his eyes say "You should all say Bharat Mata ki Jai, Bharat is mahan, her mitti is mahan, not me."

• Nehru's early attachment to India's cultural unity (invisible threads, etc), flirtations with Leftist ideas, and eventual reconciliation with 'Bharat is mahan' is a story that should be repeated to every person of far leftist persuasion in India.

I found these incidents narrated in our editor Aravindan Neelakandan's major work 'Hindutva: Origin, Evolution and Future'. It's a big book, looks good on the bookshelves and feels better when read.

Post Script: There's now a new video of Sam Pitroda out and once again, it's sure to be picked up by many today.

• "We could hold together a country as diverse as India, where people on East look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like maybe White and people in South look African"

• Tehseen Poonawalla: "I am speechless! Let me be blunt: every time Sam Pitroda ji speaks - he damages the Congress!"

Can Rahul Gandhi Win RaeBareli?

When it comes to the general elections, the Raebareli LS constituency is witnessing a similar pattern as Amethi.

Congress vote share has been declining. From 72% vote share in 2009, Congress came down to 55.8% vote share in 2019, while BJP has been gradually increasing its vote share here.

• In 2019, BJP's candidate, Dinesh Pratap Singh, got 38.4% vote share, losing by 1.6 lakh votes.

• This time, too, not only will the vote share drop further for the Congress, but it will be very difficult for the Congress to retain this seat.

Why Congress faces an uphill battle. A lot has changed since 2019, Aditi Singh (MLA, Sadar Raebareli) joined the BJP, and Manoj Pandey (MLA, Unchahar Raebareli) is with the BJP unofficially. 

• Unlike 2019, when there were no candidates from SP and BSP on this seat, this time BSP has fielded its candidate, Thakur Prasad Yadav, who is more likely to eat up Congress votes than the BJP.

• Sonia Gandhi comes across as a more mature leader than Rahul Gandhi. And 'what I could sense from people back in 2022 is that they want a leader who is approachable and not someone who will visit them once in 5 years.' 

• Since he has abandoned the Amethi seat, Rahul comes across to people as irresponsible.

Listen to the podcast: Diksha Yadav discusses all the above and more about Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Rae Bareli with Shriniwas Gour.

• You can listen on our mobile app.

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