New Delhi: Amid raging debates over Bharat Jodo Yatra’s said goal to finish the politics of hate and concern, Rahul Gandhi’s flowing, ever-growing beard has grow to be an fascinating apart, producing plenty of curiosity. It’s not simply the Twitterati who’re commenting on it, however critical politicians have additionally jumped into what would in any other case be a non-issue in a extremely charged political discourse.
Final month, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mentioned that Gandhi’s beard resembled that of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. This week, union minister Ramdas Athawale mentioned simply because Gandhi is rising his beard, doesn’t imply that the Congress might be profitable in growing the occasion’s seats (within the Lok Sabha). A viral picture evaluating Gandhi’s beard to that of Karl Marx was additionally doing the rounds some time again.
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‘Desh badalne aaye hain’
Congress basic secretary Jairam Ramesh sought to dismiss these debates, saying, “Hum vesh nahi, desh badalne aaye hain.”
Picture guru Dilip Cherian has a distinct take although. “It is a little bit of a Forrest Gump strategy. He’s most likely interesting to this entire idea of being a mendicant wandering via India,” Cherian informed ThePrint light-heartedly.
On a extra critical word, Cherian says there’s a sure logic behind this new look. “Individuals who’ve been part of the yatra have informed me that these days, even a patwari’s son comes to fulfill individuals on a jeep. However Rahul is strolling. So, the entire persona of the ‘strolling fakir’ that’s being created is distinctly befitting the bearded look,” he mentioned.
He provides that previously, some “naughty” individuals have tried to insinuate that each time grows a beard, he flies overseas. “He’s refuting that in a hirsute method,” Cherian mentioned.
If Congress leaders are to be believed, nonetheless, the beard – unkempt and proudly displaying the greys – is pure performance.
“To shave your beard often in the course of the (Bharat Jodo) Yatra, one would wish to get up at 3.30am. Mr Gandhi wakes up at round 5am. He doesn’t have the time to do all that as a result of our actions for the day start at 5.30am,” mentioned a senior Congress chief.
It’s fascinating to notice, nonetheless, that at a press convention on the Congress headquarters in Delhi on 31 December, Gandhi had his beard intact. The yatra was, on the time, on a break for practically per week.
Yatris observe their chief
Ask individuals much less senior and their guess appears extra correct. “He would possibly simply be lazy! Who desires to get up half an hour early to shave once you’re strolling 25 kms a day?” a yatri mentioned to ThePrint.
In truth, most likely following in Gandhi’s footsteps, most of the yatris appear to be rising facial hair because the yatra has progressed. One in every of them is youth chief and former JNUSU president, Kanhaiya Kumar.
He referenced the beard to make a political quip at a press convention in Nuh, Haryana, on the sidelines of the yatra.
“Simply because our beards have grown doesn’t imply we’ll take sanyas from elections,” mentioned Kumar, when requested if the Congress was trying to win elections or if the yatra was solely about ‘tapasya’.
Later, when ThePrint tried to prod him a bit of extra in regards to the beard, he mentioned he’d reply solely “political questions”.
When requested if Gandhi’s beard was just like Prime Minister Modi’s à la the 2021 Bengal elections, the reply was a agency no.
Not the primary time
This isn’t the primary time, nonetheless, that Gandhi’s beard has been a matter of public dialogue. As a senior Congress chief says, he’s at all times had a “love-hate” relationship together with his beard. Political observers from UPA discuss how he’d be seen clean-shaven at the start of the Parliament classes and develop a stubble because the session wrapped up. A light-weight-hearted gossip on the time was that it was to keep away from recognition if he took a business flight to considered one of his journeys overseas in the course of the break between classes. It’s such speak that Cherian was referencing above.
The beard has additionally been part of Gandhi’s most memorable political interventions prior to now. In Niyamgiri (2010), when he had protested towards land acquisition by the Vedanta group for mining actions, his stubble was seen by all.
When he sneaked into the UP village of Bhatta Parsaul in 2011 to protest towards police firing on agitating farmers, he was clean-shaven. The political dividends that the Congress reaped from each outings remains to be being debated however kind an vital chapter in Gandhi’s political life. Not too long ago, in a video launched by the occasion, he mentioned, in a chat in the course of the yatra, that the mainstream media stopped being in his favour after these two episodes.
Combined response on floor
Congress staff attending the yatra, nonetheless, have various views on their chief’s look.
Nitin Ganpat, with the Congress’s hand image shaved on his head, is sort of a fashionista himself. A resident of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Ganpat has been following the yatra on a cycle, solely to get a selfie with Gandhi, he says. However when requested in regards to the chief’s bearded look, he sports activities a shy smile and says the Gandhi scion ought to have shaved it off.
“Accha nahi lag raha,” he quipped, when ThePrint met him in Haryana.
Politically, this can be the one of many few issues {that a} Congress and BJP employee agree on. Sukhbir Maderna, a BJP employee who was on the yatra venue in Faridabad in his capability as a sarpanch, mentioned he didn’t like Gandhi’s beard both. Standing subsequent to him was Chandrahans Bhadana, a resident of the identical village and a buddy, however a Congress employee.
“He has been on yatra for over 100 days. Naayi nahi mila hoga shayad unko. However I don’t prefer it,” laughed Bhadana.
Whether or not it’s due to paucity of time in the course of the yatra, performance, or a deliberate change in look to ship a political assertion could grow to be clearer on 3 January – if not earlier – when the Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes after a 9-day break.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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