The great RaGa Vs NaMo debate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a massive roadshow at Ghatkopar in northeast Mumbai that threw the working day peak-hour traffic out of gear on Tuesday last. Incidentally, this was the area where a massive hoarding crashed in stormy winds and killed at least 16 people and Modi did not say a word. Not even a condolence message came from him inviting the Opposition’s wrath

Rahul Gandhi has been challenging Narendra Modi for a one-on-one debate. Here is what can happen if the debate happens:

Rahul Gandhi: Modi ji Namaskar. Nafrat ki Bazaar ka Mohabbat ki dukan mein Swagat.

Narendra Modi: Kai se hoShehzaadey? Yeh kaunsidukaanhaiaap ka? GST bharteyho ki nahin? Ha haha.

RaGa: Chaliye, let’s start the debate. First of all, tell me about your connection with Adani and Ambani.

NaMo: Arre Wah! You kept quiet all along. Now are you getting tempo loads of black money in sacks by Adani-Ambani? You answer my question first.

RaGa: Modi Ji, tell me about Electoral Bond scam. BJP got so much of funds against favours. Prepaid, post paid and post raids by ED, I-T and CBI.

NaMo: See, you got to know the names because of the transparency of the scheme. The opposition also got lot of money. Congress, Didi oh Didi party, KCR – all got. I ended black money menace. What has Congress done in 75 years? Nehru, Indira …And…and…(Checks teleprompter for details).

RaGa: Don’t try to divert attention, don’t look here and there. Talk about what you have done during COVID. You asked people to ‘Bajao Thali’ when people were dying. You asked people to show mobile torches…

NaMo: We gave the world, the vaccine.

RaGa: Yes, with your photograph on the vaccine certificate. You have brought the black laws called the farm acts. And then you were forced to withdraw. You have not done anything for the farmer. You have not even met the farmers wjho were agitating at the entrance of the capital. You have not waived farmers’ loans. On the contrary, you have allowed big businesses to go scot-free with 16 lakh crore rupees worth loans.

NaMo: Have you not read what I said? I am against freebies as they are not good for the economy. We are giving free ration to 81 crore people. Our economy is the 5th largest in the world. And we will be the third largest soon. What have Nehru and Indira done? Your manifesto sounds like a relic of Mughal era.

RaGa: Our manifesto is prepared on the basis of my experience during my Bharat Jodo Yatra and Nyay Yatra. It reflects the aspirations of the people. Your manifesto is nothing but Modi, Modi and Modi.

NaMo: You are talking about inheritance tax. You will take away Mangal sutras from women, you got X ray machines to enter people kitchens to check what they are hiding in their rice, bajra tins. And and…you will take away buffalos if people have them in excess. Apna toh clear hai. Ab Ki Baar Char Sau Paar!

RaGa: From where do you get these ideas? People are laughing at you. Priyanka already said you should read our manifesto first and then comment. Your leaders are talking about changing the Constitution.

NaMo: You are the ones who tease people by eating fish, mutton during Navaratris.

RaGa: Modi Ji, come to real issues…what I have asked you…

NaMo: Your party rejected the invitation for Ram Lalla temple inauguration. Tomorrow, you will put Babri Lock on Ram Mandir.

RaGa: The Shankarachayas also rejected your invitation to join the Praan Pratishta. Modi Ji, please talk about the real issues, your promises to create jobs…the vacancies in government departments and PSUs. You have not filled 30 lakhs vacancies. Your Agniveer, it is not helping the youth.

NaMo: You will change the Constitution to give reservation to Muslims.

RaGa: Who said that? Why are you bringing in this Hindu-Muslim thing?

NaMo: What Hindu-Muslim? I will be unfit to be the PM if I say that.

RaGa: But you just said that. Priyanka was mentioning all those things you have been saying…Machli, Mutton, Muslims…

NaMo: I am ready with my 100-day programme. All corrupt will be sent to jail. I will send the agencies after them. Zero tolerance for corruption.

RaGa: You mean, you will take them into the BJP? Take them, take them. We are not interested in such leaders who are spineless. When INDIA bloc comes to power, we will take action against all those officers who framed fake cases. You have zero tolerance for Opposition.

NaMo: Fake cases? What fake cases? This is a fake debate. Asli debate toh what I had with those 30 news channels and 15 newspapers.. They all heard patiently whatever I said. And see, they are also saying Abki Baar Char Sau Paar.

RaGa: But you haven’t said anything about what you plan to do. People have realised that you don’t do anything for them. I know that you don’t have answers for any of my questions. Kahatam (?). Ab ki baar, tata, goodbye!

Then suddenly my phone rings and I realise that I was daydreaming!

PS: As I got back to my laptop, I realised that the Hindu-Muslim rhetoric continued so did the Jai Shri Ram chanting during the election campaigns. The fifth round of the Lok Sabha poll ended and there is no sign of the Election Commission taking any action against the use of religion in propaganda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a massive roadshow at Ghatkopar in northeast Mumbai that threw the working day peak-hour traffic out of gear on Tuesday last. Incidentally, this was the area where a massive hoarding crashed in stormy winds and killed at least 16 people and Modi did not say a word. Not even a condolence message came from him inviting the Opposition’s wrath. INDIA Bloc continued to attract large crowds, even getting restless at places such as Prayagraj and Phoolpur and breaking the barricades near the dais. Couple of Godi Media channels wrongly reported that Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav could not address the election rally at Prayagraj. Questions were also raised over the police security – or the lack of it - at these rallies.

The interviews that Modi gave remained more or less one-sided with no cross or counter questioning on issues as PM’s Mangalsutra jibe. He gave 40 plus media interviews with scripted questions and answers, a media report claimed. There was no factcheck on the utterances by Modi and whatever he said was carried verbatim, without even a blink. On sensitive issues such as Prajwal Revanna’s misbehaviour with hundreds of women, Modi said there should be zero tolerance. But there was no question as to why the PM himself actively sought votes for Revanna and how did the government allow him to leave the country on a diplomatic passport. Modi and Union Home Minister blame the State government run by the Congress.

It in this context that Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the media must be viewed. He kept addressing the “media friends” while at the same saying that “you cannot be our friends”. He pointed that media is majorly controlled by the BJP government.

The D Day, June 4, will spring several surprises. Rahul said Modi will cease to be the PM on that day. The day will mark the new freedom of the Press day, said Akhilesh Yadav.

(The columnist is a Mumbai-based author and independent media veteran, running websites and a youtube channel known for his thought-provoking messaging.)