Deepika, an advocate by profession, gained fame due to the Kathua rape and murder case and it was she who provided the necessary legal assistance to the family of the deceased victim on the other hand, it was Lal Singh who participated in a rally which was taken out in support of the alleged rapists and murderers—which makes the standing for both the individuals quite contrary to each other. It was Deepika who then joined the Congress party because then she believed that the party did not promote divisive politics, but with her resignation now, she would certainly be in a split because what the Congress party has done indeed raises question marks over the nature of politics the party is playing. How could it be that the yatra was political when it traversed through mainland India, and suddenly became apolitical as it entered J&K?
The accused in the Kathua rape and murder case have been convicted by the Court and it is also not a secret that Lal Singh, in a way, sided with them. Despite knowing that, Congress appears to have made it a bit difficult for the party cadre to explain the reason and logic behind the move. There are sentiments associated with the Kathua case, both in Jammu as well as in Kashmir and by going ahead with allowing the participation of Lal Singh in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the same might end up having fizzling out effects on the yatra in the UT.
In her Tweet, which Deepika put out, announcing her resignation, it seems that she has twisted and turned a lot to what her party did by allowing Lal Singh to participate in the yatra, but then, as she put it out, she was left with no option but to resign. Certainly, behind her move of tendering the resignation, there are fundamental, ideological differences, but will it make her change her views about the Congress “not promoting divisive politics”? Well, the time will tell; the time will tell how immune the Congress is to play the divisive politics, or has it, over time, become an entity that manoeuvres as per its interests, even if that means playing a bit of politics in vogue which is way out and away from the fundamental and ideological track of the Indian National Congress?
