First of all, I would say that Congress in launching a full power packed attack has actually fallen into the trap of Modi. Yes, it is actually a trap. Because Modi knows what to speak and the way he has defended shows that his jibe on Rajiv Gandhi was not due to a mere slip of tongue. His jibe on Rajiv Gandhi was a deliberate one.

Actually, it is an articulated reply of Modi to Rahul Gandhi who has been constantly attacking him by using the phrase “Desh ka chowkidar chor hain” — “country's watchman is a thief”. Modi’s jibe is not only to counter Rahul but also to bring back the ghost of Bofors, which heavily cost the Congress party. It must be noted that in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections Congress led by prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was ousted from power and the Bofors scandal was one of the main reasons for the electoral loss. Truth is Congress never recovered from 1989's setback. Although it formed governments in 1991, 2004 and 2009 but failed to get majority on its own and had to depend on other smaller parties.

To think whether Modi was right in calling Rajiv Gandhi as a “corrupted leader”, one must remember that Rahul himself has been indirectly calling Modi a “thief”. India is the world's largest democracy and elections are going on. So, let the voters decide who was right — Modi or Rahul. The Congress and a section of intellectuals, who are busy in attacking Modi for his “uncalled comment”, should have left it to the conscience of the voters. In this way, they wouldn't have fallen into the trap of Modi.

But, Congress and the section of intellectuals without realising are actually helping Modi by defending Rajiv Gandhi by saying that he was a martyr — so he shouldn't be criticised. Main point is Modi didn't call Rajiv as an anti-national and definitely no doubt the former prime minister was a patriot. But that doesn't mean that Rajiv would be above criticism. Nevertheless, the way Congress attacked Modi for his jibe and defended Rajiv Gandhi actually aided Modi to further prove his point that the grand old party, which was once led by great leaders during the struggle for India's independence, has turned into a one family party — Nehru-Gandhi family. Already, Modi has turned Congress’ counter into his favour by saying that the Congress and its ecosystem has rattled only by a mere mention of Rajiv Gandhi, despite the fact that many Congress leaders have been abusing him and his family since he assumed the post of prime minister.

In reality, the ground has changed. Today's India is a different one which the Congress has failed to understand. No one believes that the prime ministers from the Nehru-Gandhi family were anti-nationals and they do praise them for their efforts for the development of the country. However, it doesn't mean they will worship them as Gods and Goddesses. They—whether Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi — will also be criticised for their failures and ill decisions. But Congress party's refusal to accept this reality is only harming the party. Modi is fully aware of this weakness of the Congress party. That's why he took jibe on Rajiv Gandhi.

Significantly, voters, who may not agree with Modi's comment, will not be harsh on Modi as Congress is expecting. The reason is Modi himself over the last five years has done every effort to eulogised great leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, B.R. Ambedkar and Madan Mohan Malviya, who were somehow overridden by Nehru-Gandhi family. Not only this, over the last five years, Modi was even successful to take away Mahatma Gandhi from the Congress party. For this Congress has to only blame itself — not Modi — because the ugly truth is over the years party ignored its own great leaders by giving space to leaders belonging only to the Nehru-Gandhi family.

This is politics. Modi knows the weakness of the Congress. So, he hit there. And Congress, without realising, is playing into his hands by putting arguments that Rajiv Gandhi was a martyr — so he shouldn't be criticised. Nobody is questioning Rajiv's nationalism. Instead by giving such arguments Congress and the section of intellectuals have only proved Modi's point that the concerns of grand old party are limited only for the Nehru-Gandhi family. It is another self goal from the Congress — giving another lead to Narendra Modi. Blaming Modi for visiting the past repeatedly will not serve — as it is the Congress party, which claims to represent ideas of India, has never tried to come out of the shades of Nehru-Gandhi family’s past rule. So, when you choose to remain in the past, your opponent will also try to drag you into your past. Modi’s jibe was just a part of that strategy. (IPA Service)