Ambiguitas Rahul

When I heard Rahul Gandhi say that he has lost a "mentor and guide" in the late Dr. Manmohan Singh, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disbelief. His claim, intended to convey deep respect and admiration, completely contradicts his actions during Dr. Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister. As someone who closely observed those years, I find Rahul’s words to be nothing more than political tokenism.

I vividly remember Rahul Gandhi’s infamous act of tearing apart an ordinance passed by the Manmohan Singh-led government. The ordinance was designed to shield convicted lawmakers from immediate disqualification. By publicly undermining the Prime Minister, Rahul not only embarrassed Dr. Singh but also disrespected the office of the Prime Minister itself. Eventually, the ordinance had to be withdrawn, leaving Dr. Singh’s leadership humiliated. That incident alone speaks volumes about Rahul’s disregard for Dr. Singh.

It was no secret that Dr. Singh operated under the shadow of Sonia Gandhi. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was packed with Sonia’s loyalists, while the National Advisory Council (NAC), controlled by Sonia, wielded real power over the government. I can’t forget learning about how Dr. Singh had to write 18 letters to Sonia Gandhi, pleading for cabinet decisions to be routed through him. Worse still, Pulok Chatterjee, Sonia’s trusted bureaucrat, acted as a go-between, ensuring she had access to files awaiting the Prime Minister’s clearance. This arrangement didn’t just undermine Dr. Singh’s authority—it was a blatant display of the Congress party’s disrespect for the institution of the Prime Minister.

The Indo-US nuclear deal of 2008 was a defining moment, but it also exposed the challenges Dr. Singh faced within his own party. At the height of the crisis, I was struck by Dr. Singh’s frustration when he offered to resign, telling Sonia Gandhi to find his replacement. Despite his achievements, Dr. Singh’s position within the Congress was tenuous, controlled by Sonia’s whims and the party’s internal politics.

Dr. Manmohan Singh’s legacy as India’s economic reformer remains unparalleled. I have great admiration for how he, under the leadership of PV Narasimha Rao, spearheaded the Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation (LPG) reforms in 1991. Abolishing the restrictive ‘Licence Raj,’ implementing fiscal austerity measures, and devaluing the Rupee were bold steps that stabilised the economy and set the stage for future growth. 

But let’s not forget: these reforms were possible only because of Rao’s vision and political support. Without Rao, Dr. Singh would not have had the mandate to make these transformative changes.

In stark contrast to Dr. Singh’s legacy, Rahul Gandhi’s policy positions today lean towards populist and Leftist measures that threaten to undo the progress made since 1991. I find it ironic that someone who now claims Dr. Singh as a mentor opposes the very principles of liberalisation that defined his career. Rahul’s ideological inconsistencies and his lack of respect for institutional norms make his tribute to Dr. Singh seem insincere at best.

Adding to the irony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once claimed that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had referred to the Planning Commission, then headed by Manmohan Singh, as a "bunch of jokers." This remark underscores the disrespect Dr. Singh faced even from within the Congress leadership, despite his intellectual calibre and significant contributions to India’s economic reforms. It is baffling how someone of Dr. Singh’s stature was treated with such disdain by his own party.

When Rahul Gandhi says he has lost a "mentor and guide" in Dr. Manmohan Singh, I can’t help but see it as an exercise in hypocrisy. His actions during Dr. Singh’s tenure tell a very different story. Dr. Singh will undoubtedly be remembered as a statesman and economic reformer. But Rahul’s eulogy is a glaring reminder of how the Congress party failed to accord him the dignity he deserved in life.