Opinion Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes | Bharat Jodo Yatra: A journey in search of a destination

But as it turned out, the semiotics of the Yatra are entirely dominated by one figure. Rahul Gandhi had for long, fairly or unfairly, laboured under the charge that he was an entitled politician, with a lack of commitment, confidence and decisiveness, and bereft of the popular touch. Much of the Yatra is focused on the recasting of that image: The projection of another bearded pilgrim, whose dedication cannot be doubted, who now exudes a common touch and ease with people that comes from genuine empathy. Projecting the idea that this is India’s Discovery of Rahul and Rahul’s Discovery of India has pretty much crowded out everything else, including party unity in Congress.

This is neither criticism nor endorsement. But analytically, then, the political success of the Yatra turns on one question: Does the Yatra place Rahul Gandhi in a better position to exert more authority within the Congress party? Does it make him a politically more acceptable leader? The Yatra may have projected Rahul Gandhi’s empathy and resolve. But has it done much to overcome the idea for many voters that Rahul was the symbol of the old, hollowed out, political order. He was an easy foil against whom Modi made himself look good. Has it done enough to convince his own party that he is an electoral asset that can be projected in a one-to-one battle with the prime minister?

Supporters of the Yatra argue that it should not be judged by conventional political yardsticks, particularly elections in the short run. And we need time for the consciousness raising of the Yatra to kick in. There is something important about the idea of a political gesture for its own sake. It is often a reminder, to paraphrase Livy, that an arrogant man can take away other people’s liberties but by lack of courage and political action, we take away our own. Even if we grant this, there is something odd about positioning a Yatra that ostensibly speaks to citizens, but not to voters, and bypasses political questions, electoral or otherwise.

The success or failure of the Yatra will not be decided by endorsements, but politically. So here are three things that will constitute the political test of the Yatra and its aftermath. The first is ideological. To give Rahul Gandhi credit, he is one of the few in the Opposition space to take head-on the fact that the RSS and Hindutva are deeply authoritarian and communal. There is no mendacious soft peddling. But merely reiterating this opposition is not enough. India is divided over secularism. But the contest cannot be simply Hindutva versus Congress secularism as practised in the 1980s.

Take an important issue, and potential political googly, like the Uniform Civil Code. Bharat Jodo is going to be tested on concrete issues like this. Congress has done well in Haryana to oppose the new conversion bills. But does the process of listening and outreach create a space for a new vision of secularism that pre-empts the BJP in its criticisms of the old Congress’ institutional and legal conduct? Or will the party again flail on specifics, emotionally defending secularism but abdicating all concrete issues to the BJP.

The second issue is this: How many hearts and minds the Yatra converts is an open question. At an elite level, it does not seem to have moved many who were not already sympathetic. But the conduct of other political actors is a proxy test of the political success of the Yatra. The Yatra may have energised Congress workers in some states. But there is little sign that it has given the party momentum. If anything, the factionalism in Congress, even in states where it has the best chance, Rajasthan and Karnataka, is making Congress’ position less strong than it should be. Factionalism is not a just a function of the small-mindedness of the leaders of different factions. Just witness Rajasthan. It is also a function of their lack of confidence in the highest levels of leadership. Will this Yatra restore that confidence in full measure?

Third, if the BJP is to be ousted, there will have to be significant Opposition unity, properly institutionalised, operationalised and communicated. There is no way of getting around this fact. All established regimes are delegitimised only if the Opposition speaks with a degree of unity. Does the Yatra remain confined to virtue signalling? Or does it both broaden the base of voters who can be brought into the anti-BJP camp? Does it enhance the Congress’s capacity to facilitate Opposition unity, by the dint of its authority, and the new political capital it might bring to the negotiation? It might seem unfair to lay the test of the Yatra on how other Opposition leaders respond. Perhaps. But in a deeper sense, they are politicians. And their reading of the Yatra will indicate whether it has any political momentum.

Bharat Jodo is an important gesture on the politics of hate. But its own equivocation on what it is about suggests that it is not yet a politics of hope.

The writer is contributing editor, The Indian Express