NEW DELHI: In a striking move following his resignation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took to Instagram on Saturday to express his disappointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a sarcastic reference to the Congress party and its leading figure, Rahul Gandhi, Poonawalla stated that unlike previous Congress prime ministers, PM Modi has yet to emerge as a “dictator,” despite being in power for 12 years.
Poonawalla’s comments came in light of PM Modi’s fifth Instagram video released after recent student protests in Delhi. In this video, the Prime Minister mentioned that he had “forgiven” those who had allegedly insulted him and his late mother during these demonstrations. This controversy arose following protests that led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister on July 25, with many young participants facing legal action for their remarks.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Poonawalla stated, “I am completely disappointed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has been 12 years, and he has still not learnt how to be a dictator.” He criticized PM Modi for choosing forgiveness over authoritative measures, suggesting that he should learn how to exercise power from historical figures such as former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, who are well-known in Indian political history.
The former Congress member highlighted the actions taken against students in Congress-ruled states like Karnataka and Kerala, suggesting a pattern of suppressing free speech during Nehru’s administration and referencing the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi in 1975. He provocatively asked, “Who got all parliamentarians put in jail? Indira Gandhi. Who ordered police to fire at seers? Indira Gandhi,” making an allusion to significant historical events, including the police firing in 1966 on protesters demanding a ban on cow slaughter.
Furthermore, Poonawalla cited various protest movements he claimed were stifled by Congress-led governments. He brought attention to the 2011 anti-corruption protests led by Anna Hazare, where 1,200-1,300 arrests were made, and notably mentioned Rajbala, a female protester who lost her life due to police action during the protests at Ramlila Ground. “Come on, Modi ji. It has been 12 years, and you have still not become a dictator. You have poured water on the hopes of the Left-liberals,” he concluded.
PM Modi’s recent Instagram videos have been interpreted as an effort by the Prime Minister to connect with the younger generation—often referred to as “Gen Z”—who have played a significant role in the recent student protests. This demographic is increasingly involved in political discussions, highlighting a shifting landscape in Indian politics.
