Page 8 - The Indian EYE 032026

EYE ON INDIA MARCH 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 8

BJP Intensifies Attacks

on Rahul Gandhi as He Sharpens

His Challenge to Modi

As Rahul Gandhi escalates criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over energy security and global crises,
the BJP has mounted a coordinated political offensive aimed at undermining the opposition leader’s credibility

OUR BUREAU Dubey argued that the incident
reflected what he described as Con-
New Delhi
gress’s inability to connect with pub-
fresh round of political con- lic concerns. “Is this a picnic spot?
frontation has erupted in Par- Parliament is separate, the street is
A liament as Leader of Oppo- separate,” he said.
sition Rahul Gandhi sharpened his From the BJP’s perspective, such
attacks on Prime Minister Narendra attacks serve two strategic purposes.
Modi over India’s energy security and First, they blunt the impact of Gand-
the fallout of the escalating West Asia hi’s criticism by portraying him as
conflict. The ruling Bharatiya Janata unserious or disruptive. Second, they
Party (BJP), however, has responded prevent the opposition narrative from
with an aggressive counter-offensive, gaining traction on substantive policy
launching personal and procedural issues such as energy security, foreign
attacks against the Congress leader in policy or economic management.
what appears to be a calculated polit- Gandhi, however, has increas-
ical strategy. ingly framed his criticism in terms
The confrontation illustrates of broader structural concerns about
a familiar pattern in Indian poli- India’s strategic autonomy and eco-
tics: whenever Rahul Gandhi seeks nomic vulnerability. He has ques-
to position himself as the principal tioned whether external pressure is
challenger to Modi, the BJP quickly shaping India’s energy decisions.
moves to shift the narrative from pol- Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi drinks tea as he takes part in a protest at the Parliament prem- “The foundation of every single
icy questions to the opposition lead- ises over the reports of nationwide shortage of LPG gas cylinders, during the ongoing Budget nation is its energy security,” Gandhi
er’s conduct and credibility. said. “Allowing the United States to de-
The latest clash began when Session, in New Delhi on Thursday (ANI Photo/Rahul Singh) cide who we buy oil from, who we buy
Gandhi warned that the ongoing gas from… Why a nation the size of In-
conflict involving the United States, speak in Parliament. Sudhrenge’. Rahul Gandhi is a char- dia would allow any other nation to de-
Israel and Iran could trigger serious “Special permission was granted acter from that very film,” Singh said. cide who our relationships are with?”
energy disruptions for India. to Mr Rahul Gandhi. As soon as he Singh argued that the opposition The Congress leader also ac-
Gandhi linked the geopolitical was allowed to speak, he didn’t speak deliberately creates situations that cused the Prime Minister of avoiding
crisis to domestic concerns, citing on LPG, but instead began speaking lead to adjournments. “In his mind, parliamentary scrutiny. “The PM is
reports of LPG shortages and dis- on global issues,” Rijiju said. “He did he thinks ‘I am the king’. They de- saying that there is no need to panic.
ruptions across parts of the country. not speak on the subject.” liberately create such situations. If But the PM himself is panicked for
According to reports from Bhopal, Rijiju further alleged that the they wanted to speak seriously, they completely different reasons. He is
some restaurants have temporarily Congress leader disrupted proceed- would have spoken on LPG,” he said. panicked because of the Adani case,
switched to induction cooking sys- ings while Petroleum Minister Hard- The BJP’s criticism has not been Epstein,” Gandhi said. “He is not
tems to cope with shortages in com- eep Singh Puri was delivering a state- limited to parliamentary conduct. able to come inside the House.”
mercial gas supplies. ment, claiming that opposition MPs Party leaders have also targeted Such remarks raise the political
Congress and other oppo- created a ruckus in the House. Gandhi’s behaviour during protests, stakes by directly challenging Modi’s
sition leaders have demanded a The government’s response re- seeking to frame the opposition cam- leadership, making a strong response
parliamentary discussion on the flects a broader strategy that has paign as political theatre rather than from the ruling party almost inevitable.
issue, arguing that the govern- often been deployed by the BJP in serious engagement. The result is an increasingly
ment must address the econom- dealing with Gandhi: shifting the fo- BJP MP Nishikant Dubey sub- combative political environment in
ic consequences of the conflict. cus from the issues he raises to the mitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speak- Parliament, where debates on policy
However, the BJP quickly sought manner in which he raises them. er Om Birla after Gandhi was re- are quickly overshadowed by parti-
to portray Gandhi’s intervention as Union Minister Giriraj Singh portedly seen having tea and biscuits san confrontation. As global crises
disruptive rather than substantive. also launched a personal attack, ac- during a protest over the LPG crisis. begin to affect domestic economic
Union Parliamentary Affairs Min- cusing the opposition of deliberately “This is Parliament, not a canteen,” realities, the political battle between
ister Kiren Rijiju accused him of creating disruptions in Parliament. Dubey said, questioning the optics of Rahul Gandhi and the BJP is likely
misusing the opportunity granted to “There was a film—‘Hum Nahi the demonstration. to intensify further.

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