Critically, it would depend on Opposition leaders’ readiness to set aside personal goals in order to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s assault of undemocratic, punitive acts. The harsh court ruling against Gandhi and his removal from Parliament may galvanise disparate opposition parties into finding common ground.
Source: India TV News
Some encouraging signs have come from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has spoken out in favour of Gandhi, contrary to his customary attitude. Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal Chief Minister, has also criticised Gandhi’s disqualification. Banerjee’s statement is significant since she has recently openly chastised the Congress for attempting to thrust itself to the forefront of opposition parties in the fight against the BJP. K Chandrasekhar Rao, Chief Minister of Telangana and President of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), also criticised Gandhi’s disqualification.
The wave of arrests and raids by law enforcement could serve as a spark for Opposition unity. In this toxic environment, no opposition leader is safe. Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, is in jail after being charged in an alleged liquor policy scandal. Satyendar Jain, another AAP leader and former minister, has been imprisoned since June 2022 on suspicion of money laundering. On this front, the noose has tightened around the TMC.
Some of Banerjee’s key aides have been imprisoned. Many times, Abhishek Banerjee, his nephew, has been called by investigating agencies. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate have regularly summoned Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav (ED).
Source: India Today
The disparity between the number of cases and the number of convictions is glaring. Despite the fact that the number of cases registered by the ED under the PMLA has increased from 209 in 2013-14 to 981 in 2020-21 and 1,180 in 2021-22, 23 convictions have been obtained under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).
The opposition parties are now taking to the streets. Nonetheless, the question of public support for such actions remains unaddressed. Such widespread corruption and institutional manipulation would have sparked public indignation in many countries. In India, on the other hand, society appears resilient to growing injustice, silence cultures, and the degradation of institutional integrity. Such widespread apathy has only bolstered the Modi government.
With general elections only a year away, time is running out. Concerns were expressed during Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra when he insisted that the march not be related to elections. It is true that ideological battles must extend beyond electoral successes. Countering any ideology, especially when it has grown dominant and popular across a broad spectrum of society, is a difficult process that cannot be abandoned after an election victory. At the same time, electoral success will help to stop the tide of tyranny that is on the rise today.
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