By now everyone knows that Rahul Gandhi, Vice President of the Indian National Congress, was in Bangalore recently to flag off a chain of Indira Gandhi canteens, promising cheap, clean and wholesome food for the common man. And the price tag? '5/- for a plate of idlis and '10/- for a vegetarian thali. A bold initiative of the Siddaramiah-led Congress government of Karnataka. A move that will doubtless bring the beleaguered Congress party a much needed boost to their flagging morale, and possibly strengthen their position in one of the few states in the country where the BJP’s foundations are not rock solid. Though BJP strongman Amit Shah may have something to say about that. This culinary campaign fronted by idli / sambar, vangi bhath, curd rice et al, was well thought out to earn valuable brownie points in a state whose populace know their idlis. And their onions. Full page adverts adorned Bangalore’s dailies with mouth-watering visuals of the local delicacies.
However, when you invite Rahul Gandhi, still finding his feet in the political maelstrom, to head up any ceremonial function, you should take care to ensure that every line he utters is properly rehearsed lest he commit the inevitable faux pas. Some months ago, on another visit to Bangalore, he addressed a bevy of young girls at a well- known college, and got into a bit of a tangle over his ill-timed and sarcastic questions on how the Modi-led ‘Swachh Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives were working. He did not get the hail of anti-Modi criticism he so avidly sought. On the contrary, the girls thought these programmes of the BJP were working fine, and the aspirant would-be leader was mercilessly trolled on social media. He was then whisked away, red faced, by his retinue of security guards.
Under the circumstances, it should have come as no surprise when Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the famished multitudes in Bangalore, anxiously awaiting their free meals (only on the opening day), proceeded to drop not one, but two clangers. He first betrayed a strange inability to distinguish between a city and a state. Holding forth with great aplomb, one of the Congress party’s tallest (speaking metaphorically) leaders, confidently stated, ‘The Chief Minister has mentioned to me that Bangalore is just the beginning. Soon, over the next couple of months, every single city in Bangalore, every single poor person in every city in Bangalore will feel that I cannot go hungry under the Siddaramiah government in Karnataka’. While it is true that many localities in Bangalore such as Malleswaram, Basavangudi, Koramangala and Indira Nagar are virtually self-contained cities in themselves, Rahul Gandhi was not taking poetic licence in his use of the word ‘city’ within the city of Bangalore. He had just momentarily lost it.
That was not all. The heavier brick to have been dropped so disingenuously was when he let slip the word ‘Amma’, in lieu of ‘Indira’ Canteen. Referring to the pressing issues of poverty and hunger eradication, he declared, ‘That is the vision of Amma...er… Indira Canteen’. It was a quick recovery, but not nearly adroit enough. An unfortunate slip of the tongue. What slips out cannot be slipped back in. The damage was done, and the media, particularly social media, are having a whale of a time. The relevant film clip has gone viral. It was also noticeable that he kept referring to the once garden city as Bangalore and not Bengaluru, the more preferred option of the locals. I’ll go for Bangalore myself, so I’ll let that pass.
The irony was not lost on people that Rahul Gandhi’s top of mind association with public-service canteens was the late Amma Jayalalithaa, his political bete noire, and a pioneer of the canteen concept. His grandmother Indira came a close second. Doubtless the AIADMK rank and file were chuffed beyond words at this unintended compliment from the leader of a party they are not on the chummiest of terms with.
It is worth mentioning, en passant, that while Bangalore was reeling under the aftermath of record breaking rains and crippling floods, the state government machinery was fully involved in ‘catering’ to the Indira Canteen tamasha, tucking into its gastronomic delights, while the afflicted citizens had to fend for themselves.
As a sometime denizen of Bangalore city, I was not best pleased when two back-to-back visits of Amit Shah, followed by Rahul Gandhi virtually paralysed certain parts of the already gridlocked city. It is ironic that political leaders who visit various parts of the country to curry the public’s goodwill, end up putting that very public to maximum inconvenience.
It is small compensation that Rahul Gandhi’s visit, leastwise, provided some comic relief.
(The author is a brand consultant with an interest in music, cricket and good humour)
