Congress raises 'Modi Mahal' to ground BJP amid Covid-19 crisis

'Modi Mahal' is the new catchphrase of Congress to corner the NDA government at the Centre and paint it as pro-rich after "suit boot ki sarkar" and "Chowkidar Chor Hai ' campaigns with different degrees of success in the last six years.

Modi Mahal is the name given by the Congress to the proposed new Prime Minister's Residence being constructed as part of the Central Vista project against which the Opposition has launched a massive campaign counterpointing the estimated expenditure on the project vis-à-vis the need for vaccines and medicines amid the devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

The coinage of Modi Mahal seems to have got quite a traction on social media this time, coming at a time of a massive human tragedy in the country in the face of rising coronavirus cases. With the BJP being the ruling party at the Centre as well as in most states, it is the receiving end of anti-establishment sentiments. Congress has been quick to catch on to the sentiments.

Also read: Government bans photography, videography of Central Vista project site

With "....many 'Modi Mahals' can and must wait! India and Indians first," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh set the tone first and then it has slowly found its place in most anti-government tweets of Congress. On Friday when Delhi police questioned youth Congress chief B V Srinivas about the source of the relief material he was distributing, the party leaders and workers latched on to the 'Mahal' narrative.

National Campaign in-charge of Youth Congress Srivatsa tweeted "Youth Congress will never be scared of the intimidation by Modi & Shah. Let Modi remain busy with Modi Mahal, we will continue to help people."

Earlier also he said, "Modi has lots of tax money to spend on Vista, Modi Mahal and Z security to BJP MLAs" and questioned why the government does not pay the medical bills of the poor people".

Madhya Pradesh Congress state Secretary IT and social media department Kamlesh Shivhare said, "Instead of spending on emergency medical equipment, Modi is spending 20,000 Crore on Modi Mahal."

With a hashtag #ModiMahal #7YearsIndiaInTears, Jammu and Kashmir Youth Congress spokesperson Upendra Dwivedi tweeted "Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ego is bigger than people's lives."

Congress has repeatedly tried to create a binary of Congress for the poor and Modi for the rich, though with little success in the past.

Rahul Gandhi's "suit boot ki sarkar" jibe almost stuck with the government in its first term after Congress latched on to the monogram pinstripe name suit of Modi with Rahul Gandhi saying that by wearing the "Rs 10 lakh suit", Modi has shown how much he cares for the poor.

The suit price claim was fiercely contested by the BJP but the jibe continued. Months before Gandhi had tried to describe the Modi government as a "government of three, four corporates" after Modi tried to push through a new land bill in 2015 through ordinances.

Also read: BJP ministers latch on to party sympathiser to counter Opposition's demand on Covid-19 vaccine

Realising the dent it could lead to the government's image and the protest building around it, the government not only withdrew the legislation but announced a number of pro-farmer measures and even changed the name of the seven-decade-old Agriculture Ministry to Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare.

Rahul Gandhi's "Chowkidar Chor Hai" against Modi accusing the government of corruption in Rafale deal, however, boomeranged in 2019 Lok Sabha polls with Modi turning it to his advantage launching a counter-campaign of "Main bhi Chowkidar" with BJP leaders and supporters adding it as prefix to their names on social media to express solidarity with Modi, who had earlier projected himself has "Chowkidar" (custodian) of the nation's wealth.

Barring 2015 during the land bill months and the pandemic period now, it is the BJP, which has gained in the slogan war against Congress. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Modi, in election rallies, coined the "Majboot" (strong) versus "Majboor" (Helpless) government slogan, reminding people of the old days of uncertainty and instability of rag tag coalition governments.

Also read: 'Use Central Vista money on Covid-19 vaccines': Opposition leaders write to PM

The divided Opposition as a whole and the demoralised Congress in 2019, could not counter the narrative, which had gone for a major change post the Pulwama triggered surgical strikes across the Indo-Pak border by the Modi government.

This time the mood is something different. Clearly taken aback by Congress' aggressive stance on Corona and its campaign against Central Vista, BJP has launched a "narrative versus truth campaign" but the quick decision of the Congress to stop all construction work including of new Assembly in Chhattisgarh, has put the BJP in quandary on Central Vista issue as so far it was citing this to justify its on-going construction work.

Also read: Chhattisgarh suspends work on new assembly building; Central Vista's turn now, says Congess

As Congress went big with the campaign with CWC passing a resolution and a dozen Opposition leaders writing a joint letter seeking funds for oxygen and medicines and asking for halting Central Vista construction, BJP chief JP Nadda wrote a four page letter to Sonia Gandhi reminding her that the project was a UPA era demand.