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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Why is CJP talking more about Rahul Gandhi’s absence than Dharmendra Pradhan’s ouster?

No protest movement in the Modi era is ever going to have it as easy as the Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal movement did with UPA-2.

I hope that by the time you read this column, Sonam Wangchuk will have ended his fast. He is too good a person for us to lose.

But if you follow the social media commentary about Wangchuk and the protest he is a part of, you will notice two things.

First, people seem more interested in stopping Wangchuk from further damaging his health because of the fast than they do in talking about his agenda. Given their regard for Wangchuk, I can understand the concern. But I suspect he may have been happier if his agenda had made the headlines rather than his health.

Second, the primary demand from some of the protesters and those who support them is that Rahul Gandhi should speak out in their favour and perhaps visit Wangchuk. Perhaps Gandhi will make some statement or go and meet the protesters. Or perhaps the government will make some gesture in an effort to persuade Wangchuk to end his fast.

Nevertheless, I find the turn of events slightly mystifying. When the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) made its debut on social media, the response it evoked became a global news story. The general tone of the coverage was that something significant was happening in India. The mainstream Opposition had failed to successfully oppose the government, and so, a spontaneous youth movement had sprung up. It could only grow in strength.

Maybe. But the reality is that the movement’s supporters seem focused on being endorsed by the same mainstream Opposition they were supposed to become an alternative to.

If India needs a CJP because Gandhi has failed to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi to account, then why does the CJP itself need Gandhi?

Also, as far as I can recall, a key demand of the protesters was that education minister Dharmendra Pradhan must resign because of the mess the Indian examination system is in. But you now hear protesters talking more about Gandhi’s absence than about Pradhan,........

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