Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday used the “jeb-katra” (pickpocket) metaphor to explain how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s politics was designed to divert the nation’s attention from real issues to facilitate corporate loot.
Addressing election rallies in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, Jalore and Barmer districts, Rahul said: “Jeb-katra kya karta hai? Jab do jeb-katre kisi ki jeb kaatna chahte hain toe sabse pahle kya karte hain? Apka dhyan idhar-udhar le jaate hain. Ek aapka dhyan bhatkata hai, dusra aapki jeb kaat leta hai. (When two pickpockets want to steal your money, how do they operate? One will divert your attention and the other will pick your pocket).”
He added: “Narendra Modi’s task is to divert your attention. And Adani’s job is to pick your pocket. Ek TV par aata hai, aapse kahega Hindu-Muslim, Kabhi aapko idhar le jayega, kabhi udhar le jayega, aage-peechhe, aur pura ka pura fayda chaar-paanch udyogpatoyon ko dega (One comes on TV and tells you Hindu-Muslim. He will drag you this side or that side but give all the benefits to four-five industrialists).”
Arguing that the entire political drama, the efforts to whip up communal passions and hype around trivial issues are created to divert attention, Rahul said: “Narendra Modi has written off debts worth Rs 14 lakh crore that the richest industrialists owed to the banks.”
He said the biggest issues of “berozgari, gareebi & mahngai” were never debated on TV channels as part of the grand diversionary ploy.
The bitterness between the Congress and the BJP in Rajasthan electioneering has risen menacingly in the last few days before polling on November 25. Rahul even described Modi’s presence at the Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad as another drama to divert attention, going to the extent of referring to him as “Panauti” (a person who brings bad omen). He said: “He went to see the match. Ye alag baat hai harwa diya (It is another matter that he got India defeated). Panauti. PM matlab Panauti Modi.”
Describing someone as a bad omen is superstitious and unhealthy political discourse, but it all started in 2015 when Modi asked people whether they would rather have a “lucky” Prime Minister or someone who was “unlucky”. He cited the good monsoon and the fall in petroleum prices after his arrival as Prime Minister and said: “If my luck can benefit the country, why do you want to elect someone unlucky?” The tide turned soon and petrol-diesel prices raced towards Rs 100 per litre and the cooking gas cylinder burnt holes in the pockets by crossing Rs 1,000 apiece. Modi stopped boasting about being lucky and people came up with the term Panauti.
The hashtag “Panauti” trended on social media X with the tweets starting as soon as Modi was sighted in the gallery during the World Cup final. Videos flooded social media showing ordinary cricket fans describing Modi as “Panauti”; people pointed to his uncontrollable urge for personal publicity to defend their unjust rant.
The cut-throat contest in Rajasthan is throwing up verbal jousts every day from both sides. Addressing a news conference while releasing the Congress manifesto in Jaipur, Mallikarjun Kharge, who has repeatedly described Modi as “Jhoothon ka Sardar”, said: “Modi has no conviction. His words carry no weight. He called our welfare agenda ‘revdi’ and he himself extended the free ration for five years. He can do anything to win an election.”
The Congress manifesto sprang a surprise by increasing the existing health insurance to every individual from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Rahul reacted to this saying: “I told chief minister Ashok Gehlot to increase the amount of Chiranjeevi scheme. Today, the amount has been increased from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. This is India’s biggest healthcare scheme. Now, no poor or middle-class person in Rajasthan will have to sell his house, mortgage jewellery or take loans for medical treatment.”
