I wouldn't really bother with defending the Congress considering I don't support them or think much of them either (in the modern avatar). And know they have many ghosts in their closet as well. Going into 3 decade back issues is pointless given I can only speak of the political climate I've witnessed in this country myself. For every murderous Congress goon there will be a rapist BJP one like we've recently seen (who the party entertained despite the accusations), and I'm sure me compiling a 200 word fact sheet of BJPs failings (see the corruption cases that saw them kicked out pre UPA) would be fine and dandy but wouldn't hit at the point I'm getting at.
Which is clear is that over the last 30 years, I've not seen a central government /leadership that is as fascist, authoritarian, bigoted etc as this one. I mean, you're pretty much trotting out the BJP party line - elite media bad, foreign media biased etc.
- Look at the state of the media. There's a reason why the phrase Godi media exists. Most of them merely exist to serve the centre and puppet their agenda into the minds of the public every night. I've not witnessed this level of control over the media.
- What is that agenda? Hindu Muslim. Ram Ayodhya. India Pakistan. Incredible Modi. It's like Mutv for the BJP, really. Again, I've not seen this before. We had rubbish TV before and the odd case I'm sure of biased TV. But a collective loss of their balls? Nope.
- And forget TV, there's been a rampant increase in hatred towards minorities. It's on WhatsApp, it's in the fake news game, it's now in our living rooms. I'm grateful that while growing up I didn't have to witness relatives damning "those Muslims...". But now I have to and I'm most definitely not grateful for it. Nor am I grateful I have to listen to another relative call them "dirty uneducated people who keep having children and nothing else". This is a societal change and it's clear to anyone who is watching.
- Then there's the Hindu fear mongering which is pretty incredible. Again not seen it before. The majority made to feel like they've been wronged by India for 70 years.
- Puppeteering of other institutions. May have happened in the 80s/early 90s. Don't know. Haven't seen it as much as this since I have been following.
- Hindu Rashtra. Hindutva. Politics and the agenda of one religion (and especially it's fanatical side) intertwined with the state. Again, if you feel this is par for course then that's your perogative. I don't. And I think any intelligent and mature nation shouldn't. We are clearly not there yet.
- And I haven't even gone into CAA/NRC, the Ram Mandir issue, Electoral Bonds, and their butchering of the Indian economy.
At the end of the day we clearly disagree. I see the BJP in its modern Shah-Modi format as a threat to India's ideals. Do I believe that Congress, on the other hand, would take us on the path to glory of course not? While I think Congress without the Gandhi's (what is that even given they have it by the neck) could be a less dangerous alternative, I'd prefer something more robust, more modern and more morally tuned in. But I don't see that happening anytime soon and this is sadly what we are stuck with.