After 48 years of the incident, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has preferred to follow the political line of Indira. It is hard to find a variation. During those days JP was the prime target of Indira and now Rahul is at the mark of Modi. Of course there is one difference; while Indira was not in hurry, she planned her moves cautiously and carefully, Modi is in utter haste and is least bothered of the penalties.

In those years Indira’s conscience keepers advised her to maintain restraint but unfortunately Modi’s conscience keepers have conjured him to strike, and strike ruthlessly, without waiting for the right time. BJP president J P Nadda even went up to suggesting that Rahul Gandhi being a non-believer in democracy should be sent packing "lock, stock and barrel" in a democratic manner. However he did not mention the place; where he should be sent. This underlines that he possesses a very imaginative and fertile brain and intellect.

An analysis of his suggestion would make it explicit that he actually wanted to strip Rahul of his Indian nationality. Only within three days of his suggestion the BJP apparatchiks came out with the demand for his suspension from the house and the saffronised Delhi police reached his residence with two-page notice having several questions about what he had said relating to sexual assault on women across the country at the concluding event of the Yatra in Srinagar.

This alacrity of the Delhi police points to implicate him for telling lies with the intention to malign the image of Modi and his government. The action of the Delhi police has two major ominous pointers; first, why the Delhi police acted on his statement after 45 days? If it was really concerned of the exploitation of the women, and took it as of the nature of complaint, it should have reached out to him within a couple of days of his remark. Secondly, how Delhi police act on a statement which was not said in its geographical domain and was not related to the Delhi women? Why did not it show its alacrity when a number of women were molested and harassed on the open streets of Delhi? Why it remained a passive spectator and preferred to sit on the complaints?

The Delhi police in connivance with the BJP ecosystem has worked out the strategy to frame him and jail him, even at the cost of flagrantly violating the judicial practices and ethics, on the presumption that he would not furnish the full information. The desperation of Modi to have him punished is manifest in Delhi police visiting thrice Rahul’s residence in five days. Obviously the Delhi police should have approached Rahul at the instructions from the top. Nevertheless this senseless action has ricocheted even before it could acquire a concrete shape. This action of Delhi police did not reflect its democratic character, instead it looked like a damage control action.

The Delhi police, true enough resorted to this mechanism simply to terrorise the Congress cadres and leaders. If they had been really sincere and had honest intentions they would not have descended in such a huge number. The police even ignored Rahul’s response to their three day notice, that he needs ten days to reply. But a team led by an officer of special commissioner landed at his residence just after three days, on Sunday morning, to seek clarification. They virtually kept surrounded his residence for two hours. Obviously the entire operation had a deep rooted implication.

The police clarification for its delay in taking action is quite shoddy and outrageous. It could come to know of Rahul’s observation through social media. This is worst form of lie and depicts it as the most incompetent organisation. Whom it wants to believe that it took 45 days to collect the facts from social media. Obviously it implied it was not serious. Had it not been the case, it could have approached Rahul long before and collected the information. No. It acted only after its master asked it to prepare the grounds for framing Rahul.

Police, on March 16, taking cognisance of social media posts, had sent a questionnaire and asked Rahul Gandhi “to give details about women who approached him regarding sexual harassment”. In response, Congress said, "We will respond to the notice in due course in accordance with law."

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has been right in his assertion; “Nobody knows where Narendra Modi and Amit Shah will drag this country to. The situation is dangerous and every citizen should be worried”. It is worth recalling words of Rahul that he said in Srinagar; “I told them, should I inform police, but they insisted their plight will become more miserable after that. Even after this the Delhi police is forcing Rahul to furnish the details.

Gehlot was indeed candid in his assertion that it is impossible to believe that without direction of the ruling government the Delhi Police can take such actions. He also added that the police went to his residence despite Rahul assuring that he will respond to the notice in 8-10 days.

Before this the BJP lawmakers had obstructed the functioning of both the houses of parliament seeking apology from Rahul for his remark that democracy was under threat during Modi’s rule. The BJP leaders accused him of Insulting India on foreign soil. In a tactful manner they avoided alleging that Rahul insulted Modi. They intended to paint a nasty portrait on a bigger canvass of nationality, which would justify their move to debar Rahul from Indian nationality.

The BJP design has been critically exposed. It is now more a secret that Delhi police is under instruction to arrest Rahul. The Congress has condemned the Delhi Police action as a case of "political vendetta" and "harassment". The Congress leaders rightly pointed out that BJP leaders could face similar action over remarks made in states not ruled by it. Modi’s ministerial colleagues are of the habit of making worse comments against the opposition-ruled states.

The police reach out to Rahul ought to be seen in the backdrop of his assailing the Modi government and Modi providing cover to Adani. Little doubt the police action is the part of the design to divert the attention from the Adani issue. This is also a threat to the opposition leaders not to align with Rahul and Congress. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had said all this "tamasha" was being done only to harass Rahul Gandhi and he or the party would not be cowed down by such things. (IPA Service)