Members of the Congress Party have been charged with money laundering in connection to the National Herald case.

Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, high-status figures of the Congress Party in India, are being charged with money laundering that is related to the National Herald case. The Enforcement Directorate reported to Delhi Court on April 15th, accusing the Gandhis of forming a shell company to illegally acquire assets of the National Herald newspaper of more than 20 billion rupees. In many critics’ eyes, this is an attempt to politically discredit prominent figures of the Congress Party to put an end to their leadership. The Bharatiya Janata Party, also known as the BJP, rivals the Congress Party and has specifically investigated at the federal level to point the blame at their opponents. 

This concept of using federal investigative agencies exemplifies the “paranoid” style in politics. By implementing this strategy, the BJP was able to persuade the public that the Gandhis are examples of political figures that act corrupt and entitled. In our democratic erosion lecture, we discussed the idea of scapegoating and how political leaders use it to highlight the evilness of their enemies and make it clear that they must be eliminated. 

This charge represents a brilliant political strategy that prevents democracy from functioning properly

Scapegoating and exclusion has become very common in politics. It has essentially promoted a back-and-forth between political parties, arguing why the other is more dangerous than their own. Typically, it is in our best interests to hear why a certain political party or candidate is the right choice in an election. However, most political parties have used the strategy of speaking negatively of their opposition, and they have used that to promote themselves and their party.

In the case of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, the BJP is aware that their association with this case can only create a negative perception around them. They are purposely promoting this case with the intention to create bad press around their rival, the Congress Party. Although it is a brilliant political strategy, it affects the way that democracy is supposed to function. The point of parties is to argue on policies to create a greater nation, but the BJP is using this case to attack the character and integrity of the other party. So instead of arguing on policies, the parties are targeting each other personally, which can lead to a lot of toxicity in the political arena.

India must learn to bridge the gap between these two parties to maintain their democracy

India, for many years, has had to deal with a huge political divide as the Congress Party and BJP have battled for power. The Congress Party has already announced that they will organize nationwide protests after the country’s financial crimes agency charged senior leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others with money laundering. This will most likely lead to supporters of the BJP protesting as well to defend their party. This level of chaos does not allow the democratic process to flow successfully. It only makes the erosion process that much easier.

The media in all nations, including India, play a pivotal role in creating narratives and informing the public of current events. However, the media has shifted from a world of information to a world of opinions, aiming to persuade society to view issues and ideologies a certain way. It has failed to provide the accurate information that allows citizens to create their own views. Through scapegoating and exclusion, parties like the BJP can target their opposition and use the media to highlight their negative qualities. They can scapegoat and cancel with malicious intent because of the power they hold. This ability to use people to their advantage makes it difficult to sustain a proper and successful democracy.