- As the events surrounding the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister and other changes gained traction on the back of humour/banter-tinged memes/messages on several social media platforms, the whole nation’s eyes were glued together to watch how the protest would pan out eventually. The Indian political phenomenon is often marked by regularities usually associated with opportunism to milk the situation, aiming to further consolidate the assiduously built vote banks. Of course, people familiar with the political trope of the nation are quite used to watching how our leaders, irrespective of party ideologies/philosophies, jump into the fray whenever they sniff an opportunity to derive mileage.
PC: World Socialist Web Site
- We know how the leader of the opposition (LoP) and the scion of the Grand Old Party have been viciously attacking the Union Government’s policies. His vitriolic attack on the Prime Minister has often left people cringing in exasperation, since most of these charges lack substance and/or bite. The nation is witness to some of those diatribes crossing decency levels, largely bordering on personal innuendos and name-calling. However, what should not be discounted here is the fact that the NEET-UG examination paper leaks should have enthused the Congress party to take up the cudgel on behalf of the student community by cornering the Union Government when it was found to be on the back foot. Nothing of that sort happened in the initial days of the agitation.
PC: BBC
- When scores of youths started extending their support to the CJP-led agitation against the Union Government, Congress chose to wait and watch. Even when social activist Sonum Wangchuk jumped into the fray with his indefinite fast, Congress had still not decided to extend full-throated support to the movement. So much so that rather than extend wholehearted support to the Parliament March move by the CJP, Congress chose to sit in dharna in front of the PM’s residence. Congress could have reached out to the CJP at the site of the agitation, Jantar Mantar itself. By choosing to protest in front of the PM’s residence, Congress appears to have lost an opportunity to lead the agitation by showing true leadership when the matter demanded it the most.
PC: Aajkaal
- In politics as in any other vertical, optics play an extremely important role in not only whipping up desired emotional support for a burning issue but also offering a tremendous platform for someone keen to establish their credentials through showcasing leadership skills amid challenges. By not associating more aggressively with the student agitation that spread rapidly and gained tremendous heft over time, Congress potentially lost a gainful opportunity to position itself as the party that the Scion so proudly proclaims to back the youths solidly. PM interacting directly with the youths using the social media platform was a masterstroke that nullified as well as denied the opposition an opportunity to further embarrass the Union Government.
