MP Rabindranath
As India’s security forces continue to display exemplary resolve against cross-border terrorism, the Congress party, once the pillar of Indian politics, finds itself increasingly sidelined—not only by the electorate but by its confused messaging. The recent precision strikes by Indian forces on 21 terror camps, reportedly eliminating nine targets without even crossing the Line of Control, have drawn wide applause across the country. Yet, the Congress’s reaction—hesitant, half-hearted, and conspicuously conflicted—highlights just how politically adrift the party has become.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, did eventually tweet his “pride” in the armed forces. But the silence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on such a decisive national security success speaks volumes. It reflects not statesmanship, but a party trapped in its own contradictions—desperate to criticize Narendra Modi at any cost, yet unable to alienate the armed forces who enjoy massive public respect.
Worse, even as Modi fulfilled his promise of avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 tourists dead, the Congress tried to politicize the tragedy. Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of failing to prevent the attack and suggested the Prime Minister skipped a scheduled visit to Jammu and Kashmir due to prior intelligence alerts. This contradictory stance—blaming the government for both inaction and precaution—smacks of opportunism rather than leadership.
This isn’t new. Congress leaders have a history of undermining national security narratives. From Mani Shankar Aiyar’s infamous visit to Pakistan, where he called for regime change in India, to Congress’s flirtation with controversial foreign figures like George Soros, who has openly admitted to backing forces aiming to destabilize Modi’s government—the party’s actions often blur the line between opposition and sabotage.
The hypocrisy is staggering. The same party that labeled former Army chief General V.K. Singh a “goonda” (street thug) now expects the public to believe its praise of the armed forces is genuine. These are not isolated incidents. In 2016, following the Uri attacks, Congress demanded “proof” of the surgical strikes, echoing Pakistani propaganda. In 2019, after the Balakot airstrikes, senior Congress leaders cast doubt on the operation’s success, statements gleefully cited by Pakistani media.
The Congress’s credibility crisis is also internal. Leaders like Shashi Tharoor and Sachin Pilot, who possess both intellect and mass appeal, are trapped in a party shackled to dynastic servitude and ideological confusion. Their continued presence lends undeserved legitimacy to a leadership that has presided over the party’s electoral collapse—from 206 Lok Sabha seats in 2009 to just 52 in 2019. If they wish to remain relevant, they must either challenge the Gandhi hegemony or walk away.
Congress’s disconnect with the national mood is stark. While the Modi government pushes for a strong and secure India, the Congress appears more invested in placating international NGOs, intellectual elites, and a shrinking minority of ideological activists. Even on issues of Hindu identity, national pride, and border security, it offers only guarded endorsements or outright hostility.
Can such a party be trusted again with the reins of governance?
Public sentiment seems to say no. The Congress’s continued failure to offer a coherent vision, coupled with its tone-deaf opposition to every move by the Modi government, no matter how nationally significant, has rendered it obsolete for large swathes of the Indian electorate. Many political analysts believe the Congress is not just in decline—it is on the verge of extinction from the national political canvas unless it undergoes a radical transformation.
India’s democracy thrives on a strong opposition. But the Congress, in its current form, offers little more than obstruction, confusion, and nostalgia. The time has come for its remaining credible leaders to make a choice: either rescue the party from irrelevance or find a new political home where their talent and patriotism can truly serve the nation.
