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.