Fool Me Thrice: How the Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty’s Deception Keeps Burning Bharat

Paromita Das

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 18^th August. The famous adage, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us,” could not be more fitting when reflecting on the political missteps of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Time and again, Bharat has witnessed this family gamble with the nation’s future, only to leave a trail of chaos and destruction in their wake. From Indira Gandhi’s reckless encouragement of Bhindranwale, to Rajiv Gandhi’s disastrous involvement with the LTTE, and now Rahul Gandhi’s dangerous flirtation with incendiary politics, the pattern is alarmingly clear. Each generation has played with fire, and each time, the consequences have been more severe. Yet, the question remains: Are we the fools for continuing to trust them?

Indira Gandhi and Bhindranwale: The First Spark

The story begins with Indira Gandhi, a political leader who, as the late journalist Khushwant Singh pointed out, “played with fire” when she encouraged and empowered Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a religious and political extremist, to gain leverage against her political opponents in Punjab. Gandhi’s strategy was clear: manipulate divisive elements for short-term political gain. However, the flames she fanned soon spiraled out of control, culminating in Operation Blue Star and the horrific consequences that followed. Not only did Indira Gandhi pay for her political gambit with her life, but she also plunged Punjab and the nation into years of turmoil and violence, the effects of which are still felt decades later. The loss of innocent lives and the deep scars left on the social fabric of the country were immeasurable. Despite this, it seems no lesson was learned by her successors.

Rajiv Gandhi and the LTTE: History Repeats Itself

One might have hoped that Rajiv Gandhi, Indira’s son, would have learned from his mother’s mistakes. Unfortunately, history repeated itself. Rajiv Gandhi’s involvement in Sri Lankan politics, specifically his support and training of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), mirrored his mother’s earlier miscalculation. Initially, Rajiv’s government supported the LTTE, only to later oppose them in an effort to play the role of regional peacemaker. His objective was to regain influence in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress party had lost ground to Dravidian parties. However, his ill-advised intervention not only cost him his life but also contributed to further destabilization in the region, resulting in a bloody civil war that lasted for decades. Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination by LTTE militants serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of meddling in the volatile affairs of foreign insurgencies for domestic political gain. Once again, the country paid the price for the dynasty’s reckless political maneuvering.

Rahul Gandhi: A Third Time Too Many

Fast forward to the present, and the cycle of deception continues with Rahul Gandhi, the latest heir of the Gandhi dynasty. His recent incendiary remarks aimed at stoking Sikh and Kashmiri separatist sentiments have once again demonstrated the same dangerous flirtation with divisive politics that characterized his predecessors. Rahul Gandhi, described by some critics as an inexperienced and incompetent leader, appears willing to walk the same treacherous path for the sake of political power. His attempts to reignite tensions in already fragile regions such as Punjab and Kashmir, for what seems to be a narrow-minded political agenda, reveal not only a profound disregard for national unity but also a dangerous recklessness.

In the case of his recent remarks about the Sikh community, Rahul Gandhi’s comments have stirred up an environment that is already politically charged. The Akali Dal, a key political player in Punjab, and even pro-Khalistani elements operating from the safety of North America have picked up on his rhetoric, creating an atmosphere ripe for political exploitation. The danger lies in the competitive political bidding that his statements may trigger, where different factions try to outdo one another in inflammatory rhetoric, leaving the country’s social fabric increasingly vulnerable.

Similarly, his anti-outsider statements in Kashmir, an already volatile region, were nothing short of irresponsible. In a region where Islamist militancy has led to the deaths of many migrant workers, Gandhi’s rhetoric potentially adds fuel to the fire, endangering the lives of innocent civilians. Such remarks, made in the pursuit of political capital, display a blatant disregard for the human cost involved in communal and regional tensions. This pattern of playing with fire for personal and political gain is all too familiar.

The Role of the Media and the Leftist Ecosystem

Compounding the issue is the support Rahul Gandhi receives from various sections of the media and the broader leftist ecosystem, both in Bharat and internationally. Media outlets, intellectuals, and political commentators have often been quick to downplay the dangerous implications of his actions, portraying him as merely the leader of the opposition whose words should not be taken too seriously. However, the stakes are too high to ignore the inflammatory nature of his remarks.

Additionally, the international left, including influential figures like George Soros and certain Western academic institutions, has thrown its weight behind Rahul Gandhi. For them, Gandhi represents the last hope of reviving a version of Bharat that aligns with their ideological interests. With this powerful backing, he poses a serious threat to the country’s stability, especially given the media’s willingness to protect and amplify his narrative.

Modi’s Dilemma and the National Response

One might ask, as many do, what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are doing in response to this. Critics often accuse Modi of not doing enough to counter the rhetoric of the opposition, particularly when it comes to figures like Rahul Gandhi. However, Modi faces a dilemma. By directly engaging with Gandhi’s incendiary statements, he risks giving him more media visibility and inadvertently boosting his profile. Additionally, the media’s left-leaning bias ensures that any move against Gandhi will be framed as an attack on free speech or dissent, shifting the focus away from the substance of Gandhi’s dangerous rhetoric to a broader debate on democratic freedoms.

However, the responsibility to counter this dangerous trend does not lie solely with Modi or the BJP. It is up to the citizens of Bharat to recognize the gravity of the situation and reject the politics of hate, division, and opportunism. The country must stand united against any attempt to reignite separatist movements, caste-based divisions, or regional conflicts. Only then can Bharat hope to break free from the cycle of deception that the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has perpetuated for generations.

Conclusion: Who Is the Fool?

Returning to Stephen King’s quote, the question of who the fool is becomes painfully clear. If, after being fooled repeatedly by the same dynasty, we continue to fall for their deceptive politics, then the blame lies not just with the deceivers but with the electorate that allows itself to be deceived. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and now Rahul Gandhi have each, in their own way, played with fire, seeking to manipulate the public for political gain, with devastating consequences for the nation. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.

The future of Bharat depends on its people’s ability to see through the poisonous politics of division and refuse to be fooled a third time. Whether new leadership emerges within the Congress party or a new political force rises to challenge the status quo, the time for change is now. The cost of inaction, as history has shown, is too high.

The era of dynastic politics in Bharat must come to an end if the country is to move forward. The Nehru-Gandhi family, despite its historical contributions, has become a liability to Bharat’s progress. Their repeated misadventures have cost the country dearly, and their current trajectory offers no signs of improvement. It is time for new leadership that prioritizes the nation’s unity and well-being over personal political gain. The Bharatiya electorate must recognize this and demand better from its leaders. Only then can the cycle of deception be broken, and Bharat can chart a new course toward a more stable and prosperous future.