Priyanka was ill-advised.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate Office for questioning in a money laundering case. To the extent of accompanying her husband to the place of destination as a wife none questions as long as she remained (only) as a wife to her husband. Now she is the General Secretary of the Congress party and that was her first day in office. Some bigwigs in the Congress might have advised her- by this accompanying with her husband- she would appear as a loyal devoted Indian wife (a Pativrata kind) who follows her hubby through thick and thin. This act would impress the Uttar Pradesh traditional Hindu woman better, they (the party advisors) might have felt.
However, the Liberal media has another version: they say that she was sending a signal to the ruling BJP that she would not care for their moves and she is out to defend her “innocent” husband who is unnecessarily victimised in the vendetta politics of the ruling. Priyanka also once said the same that her husband was being a victim of political vendetta (in 2014 elections) and again now.
In 2014, ‘Daamad ji’ (son-in-law of great lineage) amassing wealth was a political issue though the Congress defended him being a private person then. Before the election results of 2014, the hush-ups and manipulations to hide the deals might have taken place since Haryana and Rajasthan were in the Congress’ hand. Politicians of the Congress party would not mind stooping to any level to shield the “first family” as their survival in politics depends solely on that family.
Priyanka not only accompanied her husband to ED office but also stated, “He is my husband, he is my family…I stand by him. I stand by my family.” This is atrocious. She should clarify what is meant by “stand by him” in the first place. Stand by the taint he brought to the family or stand by the charges leveled on him or whatever scandals he does in business. Priyanka cannot think people are so naive like they were in her grandmother’s time.
Priyanka should question her conscience in good faith how her husband’s wealth has swollen after getting married to her. She should also question her conscience whether her husband used the privilege of being the son-in-law of the powerful political family and used his influence to progress in his business. Priyanka also should know that people who have access to power are looked at cynically by the public and perceive their excessive riches as ill-gotten. However much in the forth coming campaign she wails before the people the charges against her husband are out of vendetta politics, no body buys her theory, for, Robert Vadra is no saint in the minds people. There is a strong probability and possibility of him misusing the power.
Proof or no proof, his image is a maligned one. By association with him, she and her husband, both appear thieves hand in hand. The goody-goody pativrata talk of Priyanka with a western outfit would not appeal to her traditional eastern Uttar Pradesh voters. Once the same Priyanka Vadra (in her western thinking) found fault (in 2017 campaign) with the prime minister Modi’s views on women: treating them like a ‘sister, daughter or a mother’ not as an individual. In the culture of Bharat, prime minister Modi’s way of relationships are correct. Now, what happened to Priyanka’s individuality suddenly? According to law wife and husband are treated as two individuals. If the husband is corrupt he is punished not the wife and vice versa. So, where is the question of standing by one’s husband?
Finally, her brother Rahul Gandhi dawned Desi outfits and Hinduised to please Hindi heartland people during the assembly elections, what would Priyanka do, is to be watched. However, ‘standing by’ a (perceptibly) strongly corrupt husband may not go down well with the people of UP, for, in the minds of public ‘perception’ is the reality.
