New Delhi, Dec 20: Rahul Gandhi is in the dock, once again. From political opponents, the media to the common man, several people are once again asking the Gandhi family scion about his seriousness towards his job--politics.
Just a day after the defeat in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Monday, the new Congress president has been haunted by questions over his commitment towards politics.
On Tuesday evening, the hashtag--#AreYouSeriousRahul--trended on Twitter. The social media trend was based on a report by television news channel, Times Now, which stated that the 47-year-old politician watched Hollywood film, Star Wars, at an upscale theatre in the national capital on Tuesday after the election results were out.
Without mentioning in which theatre Rahul enjoyed the film (citing security concerns), the Times Now report stated that during his movie outing, Rahul was accompanied by a few friends.
The news report took a dig that on a day when Rahul was supposed to analyse what went wrong for the Congress in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections, the new Congress president was caught enjoying a film.
Watch .@RShivshankar give out the HARD FACTS on Congress President Rahul Gandhi's suitability as a politician #AreYouSeriousRahul pic.twitter.com/BmPkAWV2LQ
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) December 19, 2017
The Times Now report also said that while Modi immediately had a meeting with the members of BJP parliamentary committee after the declaration of results, Rahul seems to be unaffected by the defeat in the two states.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP's IT cell, mocked Rahul on Twitter for watching a film and advised the Congress president to speak to the media and party cadres.
"This is how serious Rahul Gandhi is about politics - when he should have been speaking to media and his cadres, soon after Congress loss in Gujarat, he checked in to watch a movie. Much like partying after 26/11! Personal leisure over public commitment? #AreYouSeriousRahul" tweeted Malviya.
"And forget Gujarat, Congress lost its government in Himachal and Rahul Gandhi was busy watching Star Wars! #AreYouSeriousRahul" added Malviya.
This is how serious Rahul Gandhi is about politics - when he should have been speaking to media and his cadres, soon after Congress loss in Gujarat, he checked in to watch a movie. Much like partying after 26/11! Personal leisure over public commitment? #AreYouSeriousRahul
— Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) December 19, 2017
And forget Gujarat, Congress lost its government in Himachal and Rahul Gandhi was busy watching Star Wars! #AreYouSeriousRahul
— Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) December 19, 2017
If Rahul Gandhi would have skipped cinema and analysed his party’s performance in Gujarat (HP anyway was a rout!), he would have known that even in Saurashtra where his party won more seats, it is the BJP that got more votes (45.9% against Congress’s 45.5%)... #AreYouSeriousRahul
— Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) December 19, 2017
However, many criticised the TV channel for doing a story condemning Rahul for watching a film.
Thank you @TimesNow for letting us know you think watching a movie at a cinema hall is condemnable. Would you have preferred it if #RahulGandhi watched porn on his cellphone like your party's Karnataka MLAs? #AreYouSeriousTimesNow #BJP https://t.co/hq326uXGn7
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) December 19, 2017
Over the years, Rahul has built a reputation of being a reluctant and seasonal politician, who often leaves his party abandoned in the midst of important political events to go for long vacations.
This election season, however, the Congress presented an energetic, committed and matured politician, Rahul, who campaigned extensively in Gujarat for several months.
In fact, the Congress is giving Rahul all the credit for winning 77 seats in the Gujarat Assembly elections and thus restricted the BJP to only 99 seats (just seven seats more than a majority) in the 182-member state Legislative Assembly.
It is not that Rahul went missing after the election results were out like in the past.
Accepting the defeat and showering credit to the supporters of the Congress for getting a fairly good deal in Gujarat polls by winning 77 seats, Rahul tweeted on Monday, "The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal with all my heart for the love they showed me."
"My Congress brothers and sisters, you have made me very proud. You are different than those you fought because you fought anger with dignity. You have demonstrated to everyone that the Congress's greatest strength is its decency and courage," he added.
A day after the Gujarat result, Congress president said the polls had delivered BJP a "zabardast jhatka (terrific shock)" that exposed PM Modi's credibility crisis.
Reports say that the Congress president will visit Ahmedabad on Wednesday for a three-day-long review meeting of the party. Several senior Congress leaders are expected to take part in the meeting as well.
"The main objective of the meeting is to scrutinise the results of Gujarat assembly elections," stated a Congress leader.
OneIndia News
