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HomeTalk PointThe Congress is a repeat offender, its chaiwala comment reeks of elitism

The Congress is a repeat offender, its chaiwala comment reeks of elitism

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As the chaiwala taunt is back in the Gujarat election campaign, ThePrint asks the question

Has Congress stepped on its own toes for a second time with the chaiwala meme?

The tweet reeks of an elitist mindset. It reflects a sense of entitlement. The Congress is a repeat offender on this. They are now trying to hide behind the alibi of a volunteer’s mistake.

We are all reminded of Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comment in 2014 when he castigated Modi in similar words saying he is only suitable to serve tea outside the Congress meeting. That tone of disdain for the PM has come up in Congress leaders’ statements time and again. They seem to be saying: “Who is he, how dare he sit in Lutyens’ power zone?”

This sentiment comes out even of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. At Berkeley, he defended dynastic politics saying this is how things are in India.


Here are other sharp perspectives on chaiwala jibe against Narendra Modi:

Sanjay Nirupam, Congress Spokesperson, Mumbai Congress President
Sambit Patra, spokesperson, BJP
Kancha Ilaiah, writer and Dalit rights activist
Kumar Ketkar, journalist


The larger debate is between dynasts and democrats. The Congress cannot tolerate people who rose from humble origins.

It is not important whether we gain politically from such taunts or not. In this dynast vs common man battle, we will continue fighting. Recently, Tej Pratap Yadav said we would skin Modi alive. These are political families and their fiefdoms are all about cosy exchange of power among princely families.

PM Modi has proved that politics is not about dynasty but about hardwork and performance. Perform or perish is his mantra.

The Congress’ remark shows it’s casteist and it does not respect those who have lagged behind because of caste disposition.

When Modi says he was a chaiwala, he is reassuring millions of poor that if they work hard, and do not bury their aspiration, they can also aspire. He invokes his background to say that anyone can participate in a democratic set up, that family background does not matter.

The Congress uses the chaiwala term with disdain, Modi says it differently.

The Congress means to say: You are not supposed to be in this power corridor. You get lost.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Sir, first, at least they had the decency to withdraw the meme! Tell me one meme your party has ever apologised for or withdrawn. Filthy and yet filthier trash keeps getting circulated on twitter and WhatsApp, unrestrained! The originators of filth are legitimised by your leaders by following them. Your own conduct on TV debates has several times made me change channels. Secondly, when you talk of democracy for a chaiwalla, so it is for everybody – a son of a leader or that of a commoner! Unless you believe that only an urban worker, for example a chaiwalla, is the only true inheritor of power. But then that is Bolshevism. If so, at least do not be the Trotsky in your lifestyle and actions. An aanganwadi worker’s son is as much an inheritor of democracy and free speech as a chaiwalla. But I heard you on Times Now and what you had to say about him and his incarceration. You can win once by propaganda but not govern by dogma! I’d rather have heard from you about actual work done and to be done by you for us, and I would have loved it if you had the sagacity to brush aside the meme as an immature prank. But you are revelling in the political sentimentalist opportunity this presents. Not a great piece from somebody in possession of so much power. With great power, comes great responsibility!

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