Hypocrisy Alert: Modi Criticizes ‘Pariwarvad’ in INDIA Bloc, Silent on Dynastic Trends in BJP

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at the Congress-backed INDIA alliance, accusing its leaders of indulging in “parivarvad” (dynasty), corruption and nepotism.

The context arose when Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, questioning Modi’s family background during a rally in Patna stating, “Who is Narendra Modi? He accuses us of dynastic politics. What can we do if Modi does not have a family of his own?”

However, a closer look reveals that supporters need not to go to the extent of showcasing their support as dynasty politics exists within the ruling party as well.

Bansuri Swaraj, who is running for New Delhi parliamentary constituency, is the daughter of the late BJP leader and former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Soumendu Adhikari, the brother of the current Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, is the BJP candidate for the Kanthi Lok Sabha seat.

In Gujarat’s Banaskantha, Dr Rekhaben Hiteshbhai Chaudhary, who is contesting on the seat, is the wife of Dr Hitesh Chaudhary, who holds a position in BJP’s Morbi district. 

Geeta Koda, who is contesting from the Singhbhum seat in Jharkhand, is the wife of Madhu Koda, the former chief minister of Jharkhand from 2006 to 2008.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are famous dynasties within the party, taking control of various important positions.

Piyush Goyal, who holds key portfolios as the Minister of Textiles, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, belongs to a notable political family of Maharashtra. 

His mother was a three-time BJP MLA. His father, who served as the Union Minister for Shipping in the Vajpayee ministry from 2001 to 2003, also held the position of National Treasurer for the BJP for more than two decades.

Prem Kumar Dhumal, the father of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, has served as the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, he is married to Shefali Thakur, the daughter of Gulab Singh Thakur, a former minister in the Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Perhaps, the most famous dynasty in the BJP is Jyotiraditya Scindia. He is the son of the late Madhavrao Scindia, a former Congress leader and Union minister. He is also the grandson of the late Vijayaraje Scindia, a stalwart who was associated with the Jana Sangh, Janata Party, and later the BJP. Jyotiraditya is nephew of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje whose son Dushyant SIngh is presently serving as the Member of Parliament for Jhalawar-Bara in the Lok Sabha. He has been elected to four terms, each time with an increased majority, and is a member of the BJP.

Currently serving as the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, junior Scindia made headlines in March 2020 when he defected from the Congress and joined the BJP, along with 22 Congress MLAs.

According to a report published by The Print in July, 2020, the BJP currently holds a substantial presence in the Lok Sabha with 303 members and in the Rajya Sabha with 85 members. Out of this combined strength of 388, 45 MPs have familial connections, making up about 11 percent.

This figure starkly contradicts the criticism often leveled by Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah against the Congress and its members for their reliance on family ties in politics.

Notably, terms like ‘shahzada’ (prince) for Rahul Gandhi and the contrast between ‘kaamdaar’ (known for their work) and ‘naamdaar’ (known for their name) have been frequently used in this context.