In a rare and positive gesture, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken to social media to urge people to show kindness towards former Union Minister Smriti Irani. This comes after Smriti Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Amethi elections, lost to Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma by over 1.6 lakh votes in the recent general elections.
Following her defeat, Smriti Irani had made a comment saying, “An ordinary BJP worker had sent the Gandhi family packing.” In response, Rahul Gandhi posted on X, “Winning and losing are part of life. I urge everyone to refrain from using derogatory language and being nasty towards Smt. Smriti Irani or any other leader for that matter. Humiliating and insulting people is a sign of weakness, not strength.”
While it’s unclear what specific event led to this appeal, it aligns with Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing effort to promote a more compassionate and respectful political culture. He has often spoken about wanting to foster an environment of love and understanding, which he refers to as a “mohabbat ki dukaan” (shop of love), amidst what he sees as an atmosphere of hatred.
When Kishori Lal Sharma was nominated, Smriti Irani, who was the Union Minister for Women and Child Development at the time, had sarcastically commented, “The Congress nomination and the entire Gandhi family backing out from a battle in Amethi is significant because it is a proclamation of defeat for the Congress party in Amethi.”
She further criticized Rahul Gandhi, saying, “This is not the first time Mr. Rahul Gandhi has run away from Amethi. He had run away in 2019 as well. The only difference is last time he sought comfort in Wayanad and this time he chose not to contest at all. So it is the second time Mr. Gandhi shied away from a battle in Amethi,” she told NDTV.
Rahul Gandhi’s call for respectful discourse emphasizes his commitment to a more positive and inclusive political dialogue. By advocating for kindness even towards political opponents, he aims to set a new standard for political engagement in India.