Using Indira Gandhi’s photo for respecting ‘electoral mandate’ is like using Rahul Gandhi’s photo for winning

The political crisis in Rajasthan doesn’t seem to end any sooner as the Pilot camp and Gehlot compare nowhere to give up their chance to take one or the other down. despite Sachin pilot being taken off the post of Deputy Chief Minister, the cold war is still on.

Amidst the whole scenario, Congress decided to quote former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on social media “respecting the electorate mandate”, presumably as a jibe to BJP since it thinks that BJP is trying to steal the mandate from Congress in Rajasthan.

Quoting Indira Gandhi, Congress tweeted, “Respecting the electoral mandate is quintessential in a democracy. Even the slightest attempt to subvert it is an insult to the hardworking citizens. #CongressKeVichaar“

The hypocrisy and irony in this one single quote are enough to determine the whole tenure of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister.

To be specific, Indira Gandhi, whose 1971-election victory against Raj Narain was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court in 1975, imposed a national emergency in the country to protect her political interests. Indira Gandhi, rather than accepting her defeat with all the grace, imposed the draconian emergency and locked up her political opponents in 1975.

The Allahabad Court’s judgment to dismiss the electoral victory of Indira Gandhi from Rae Bareli came from the fact that she had indulged in corrupt electoral practices during the elections. The court had also barred her from contesting any Lok Sabha elections for next six years, which led Indira Gandhi to subvert the country’s democratic procedures stated in the constitution.

Not only that, Indira Gandhi several times in the past misused the provisions of Article 356 to impose President’s Rule in various states for her political gains. During her tenure as the country’s Prime Minister from 1966- 77, and 1980- 84, she had imposed President’s rule for a total of fifty times, which is highest for any Prime Minister.

However, the Congress party, even after four-and-half-decades, seems to be audaciously preaching its political opponents to ‘respect electoral mandates’ by invoking Indira Gandhi, who is only remembered for her attempting to destroy India’s democratic credentials to satisfy her power-lust.

If Congress party believes that it can use Indira Gandhi to take a moral high-ground on the issue of democracy and respect for electoral mandates, then the joke is on the Congress party itself.