Varun Gandhi: Mama’s boy to Hindutva icon

M. Gautham Machaiah
Bangalore

Until the other day, Varun Gandhi was a non-descript scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family. But that changed after his infamous communally sensitive election speech at Philibit in Uttar Pradesh. Overnight, Varun catapulted from Maneka Gandhi’s shy son to Hindutva’s poster boy.

Call it rabble rousing or saber rattling, the 29-year-old’s immature speech should have been dismissed with the contempt it deserved. After all, Varun never had the benefit of political mentoring that his more illustrious cousins Priyanka and Rahul were exposed to.

What is this provocative statement that has turned the nation upside down? “If anybody lifts their hand against Hindus, Varun Gandhi will chop it.” Much more inflammatory statements have been made in the past, with the self proclaimed guardians of the society’s collective conscience conveniently turning the other way.

In an unprecedented move which raised many eyebrows, the Election Commission added fuel to fire by advising the BJP not to field Varun. One wonders why a similar advisory was not issued to parties who have murderers, rioters and pilferers in their list of candidates.

The Uttar Pradesh government in its enthusiasm to earn some brownie points with the Muslim voters, fanned the fire by arresting Varun and booking him under the National Security Act.

Predictably, BJP supporters brought the roof down at Philibit; the Vishwa Hindu Parishat and RSS rallied behind Varun; and the Prime Minister-in-waiting L.K. Advani has promised to campaign in this new Mecca of Hinduism. And now Mama’s boy is even on the hit list of the D-Company.

Clearly, Philibit has emerged as the Ayodhya of Elections-2009. And the credit or discredit for this goes not to Varun but to the Election Commission, the Congress and the UP government which gave his juvenile rambling an exalted status instead of relegating it to the dustbin of history.

Varun Gandhi is named after Varuna, the God of rain. Let us hope the rains of sanity cleanse the polluted waters of Indian elections.

(Picture sourced from: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040217/nat3.jpg)

COMMENTS

I agree that the issue has been blown out of proportion. There are those who have not only spoken worse but have also put it into practice. Unfortunately, they did not have the Gandhi surname and so could get away with it. Its really sad.
-Shivanjali Gaikwad, Mumbai