July 17, 2026

There has been a lot of talk in the last few days regarding hate speeches. But it should be recognized that hate speeches are not only against religion, caste, community or even profession. Rahul Gandhi has redefined the meaning of hate to include that against a person’s surname too. Why do all thieves have Modi in their names (referring to Narendra Modi, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi), Rahul asked, thereby branding all Modis across the world as thieves. Mr Gandhi now thinks that he is very smart and has a connect with the younger voters. His spin doctors, therefore, write lines for him that they think will attract these voters. But they have failed to realize that mouthing lines is one thing and knowing when and how to use them another.

Rahul has made much of the punch line chowkidar chor hai. But when he used it recently in the context of a Supreme Court judgment (without understanding what the court had said), he landed in trouble. His ‘all Modis are thieves’ line is also going to land him in a soup. There are lakhs of people with the Modi surname across the world. They are mainly from the Marwari and Gujarati communities. Some are ordinary people while others are doctors, engineers, artists and entrepreneurs. They have obviously taken strong exception to Rahul’s remark. Rahul has hurt their sentiments and shamed them. He should apologize.

At pains to rectify her brothers’ pappu image, Priyanka Vadra said at a rally in Wayanad recently that her brother is very different from how he is being portrayed. While the point is taken, one would like to tell her that he is even worse than that. He always says that those targeting him are stooping low and he will not descend to their level. But his comments show he has stooped even lower.