By D N Singh
The Honourable Vice President(VP) of India was quoted in a new report drawing a comparison between the Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi that appeared a bit amazing!
The VP said as quoted by a few opposition leaders that , “I would like to say one thing, The ‘mahapurush’ of the last century was Mahatma Gandhi. Narendra Modi is the yugpurush of this century.”
For any lettered common man of the day such a statement was not only surprising but it amazes also. Because the VP holds one of the top constitutional posts of the country where the spirit of the post is expected to be as neutral as possible and free from any political leaning.
But the VP during an event dedicated to Jain mystic and philosopher Shrimad Rajchandraji on Monday drew that parallel almost equating the Mahatma with the incumbent PM,Modi with an effortless ease.
If that was a personal view of the Honourable VP then it should not have been made public at an event wherever.
Some leaders from the opposition camp have dubbed the statement as “sycophancy” as Mr. Dhankar is heading a constitutional post next to the President of India.
It is ok or digestible in the case of the leaders owing allegiance to the PM to draw any such parallel during an election season but the parallel obviously can be seen as an overstatement in the national perspective from the VP.
“Mahatma Gandhi freed us from the slavery of the British with truth and non-violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put the country on the path of progress on which we always wanted to see,” said Manish Tewari of the Congress in a reaction quoting the VP’s statement.
Personal view may be different but people at that high cannot be unmindful of the position that remains within the premises of neutral posturing and purely apolitical.
The VP who is a highly knowledgeable man in the matter of constitutional ethics could have avoided such an unexpected observation.
