A day after resuming his tirade against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over the Rafale deal papers being allegedly stacked inside his bedroom, Rahul bowled a googly on the opening day of the budget session of assembly visiting the CM at the secretariat, shaking hands with him and inquiring about his health for around five minutes. The visit not only stunned politicos across the spectrum, but also completely overshadowed Day One of assembly proceedings, including the walkout by Congress.
Call it showmanship or a sheer gesture of goodwill, the very fact that Rahul took time off from his private trip and visited Parrikar goes a long way to explain the spirit behind his mantra of inclusivity “ that divergent opinions should not be a cause for hatred. It’s in line with his thought that politics of hatred is damaging the social fabric of the nation. The visit comes mere hours after Rahul tweeted about Parrikar possessing explosive Rafale secrets which gave him power over the Prime Minister. Rahul had also highlighted the fact that 30 days after the audio clips went viral, there was no sign of an FIR or even an inquiry. And here was the Congress president shaking hands with Parrikar on Tuesday and spending time in his chamber inquiring about his health.
Rahul’s Goa narrative runs almost along the same lines as his famous hug of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament in July last. The only difference is the Parrikar visit was a well thought-out move while the hug was spontaneous. But both conveyed the same message. If the Parrikar handshake came after a critique, the PM hug came soon after a scathing attack on Modi which lasted for close to an hour. Thundering speeches are a norm in Parliament and taking on politicos on social media is a trend. But shaking hands or hugging a person that you have been highly critical of is a different brand of politics. It needs strong character. It’s in complete sync with what Rahul propagates “ a politics of love against the politics of hate and perhaps a way to combat hardliners and differentiate ideologies.
Rahul’s visit comes as no surprise to Parrikar and the BJP leadership, contrary to the spontaneous hug in Parliament which caught leaders unawares. Rahul’s visit was not only confirmed by Parrikar himself but necessary security arrangements were put in place. And it was Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and Congress leaders who extended him a warm welcome at the Secretariat.
This gesture may send a message across to the BJP, but it will certainly teach a lesson or two to the Congressmen who are yet to pick up Rahul’s new idiom of politics. Superimpose this against the Goan political landscape where extreme showmanship and theatrics, more intended for headline-grabbing, is the order of the day. Lest we forget, the Congress has used Parrikar’s ailment and shouted from the rooftops to drive home their point of governance failure.
