Whether or not he wishes to set a high bar for himself, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi — in effect his party’s heir apparent — is both honour-bound and duty-bound to elaborate on the explosive charge of “personal corruption” he levelled against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday at a press conference at Parliament House. This elaboration also needs to be something that makes a plausible case, not just politically but also legally and morally.
An elected PM may be criticised for ineptness or worse, even in the sharpest terms, but not traduced. The onus is therefore on Mr Gandhi to prove to a disbelieving public that Mr Modi deserves to be considered corrupt.
Since Mr Modi came to international attention only after the 2002 Gujarat riots when he was its chief minister, he has been likened to infamous fascist leaders, has been called self-centred, has been sought to be denounced as a power-hungry demagogue and a dangerous foe to cross, but India’s elected democratic leader hadn’t attracted the charge of personal corruption until Mr Gandhi made it.
Thus, a huge responsibility redounds on the senior Congressman, not least because he is still to earn his spurs, to validate his charge. The surprisingly good Congress Lok Sabha results of 2009, in which Mr Gandhi had campaigned doggedly, is a fading memory. Since then it has been downhill all the way.
Mr Modi has undoubtedly dodged speaking in the Lok Sabha on the highly contentious demonetisation issue. He sits on a massive parliamentary majority and the Speaker is from the ruling party. The floor was his for the asking, even if the Opposition made a noise or walked out. The Prime Minister should have considered it his duty to inform Parliament about why he imposed demonetisation.
But all that he has done so far is address half a dozen public meetings where has attacked his opponents and called them corrupt, and complained about not being allowed to speak in Parliament. He still has the opportunity, though just a day remains of the Winter Session.
Equally, Mr Gandhi, who is virtually the leader of the Opposition, just has a day to make his case and lodge it in Parliament’s record, regardless of whether the PM is there to listen to him or not.
The ruling BJP may choose to obstruct him so that a charge of corruption is not levelled against Mr Modi on the floor of Parliament. In that event, in order to be deemed credible, Mr Gandhi must lose no time in making his case at a public rally or at a press conference, specially as he was accompanied by representatives of 16 parties when he fired the first salvo at the Prime Minister.
