WikiLeaks unplugs cables from India, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi face heat

Unflattering Wikileaks disclosures on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi have left the party in an embarrassing situation on the eve of its 83rd plenary session to mark its 125th year in existence.

The leaks, purported to be cables sent by the US envoys, refer to the lack of principled leadership by Sonia Gandhi in 2007, and her son Rahul’s observation in 2009 that ‘saffron terror’ is a bigger threat to Indian security than Islamic terror.

“Mrs Gandhi never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity,” says one cable sent in November 2007. “With the future of Indian foreign credibility hanging in balance, Sonia Gandhi has been unable to show principled leadership even when it might benefit her party at the polls,” it adds. The cables were posted on The Guardian website.

It says: “The Congress party, led by Sonia Gandhi, has proven especially cautious and nervous in the face of recent extortionist tactics by Prakash Karat. With two huge confrontations in its future — Parliament and Gujarat — it will remain true to its cautious form by seeking first to gauge its levels of support before finally being forced — if absolutely needed — to take action.” 

In another revelation, it appeared that her son Rahul called the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the perpetrator of several terrorist attacks in the country, a lesser threat to India than radicalised Hindu groups.

The young leader made this comment during a conversation with Timothy Roemer, the US ambassador to India, at a luncheon hosted by prime minister Manmohan Singh in July 2009.  

According to the secret US diplomatic cable from New Delhi released by WikiLeaks, Rahul also referred to the tension created by polarising figures in the BJP such as Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

“Responding to the ambassador’s query about LeT’s activities in the region and the immediate threat to India, Gandhi said there was evidence of some support for the group among certain elements in India’s indigenous Muslim community,” the cable quotes Roemer as saying.

“However, Gandhi warned, the bigger threat may be the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tension and political confrontation with the Muslim community…The risk of a ‘home-grown’ extremist front, reacting to terror attacks coming from Pakistan or from Islamist groups in India, was a growing concern and one that demanded constant attention,” it said.

The Congress, caught off-guard by the potentially damaging revelation, initially went into the denial mode by raising doubts over the veracity of the tapes. Later, in tacit acknowledgement of the fact, it suspected a conspiracy behind the release of the tapes.

Rahul himself diluted his comments, saying that terrorism and communalism of all types are a threat to India. “Rahul Gandhi’s view is that terrorism and communalism of all types are a threat to India. We need to remain vigilant against acts of terrorism of all kinds no matter who commits them,” AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said in a release issued on his behalf.

This fresh controversy comes close on the heels of the political storm after another Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh referred to the threats from Hindu fundamentalist organisations to the slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare.

The BJP and the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) accused Rahul of giving “big leverage” to propaganda of terror groups in Pakistan. The BJP said the Congress wanted to create a communal strife so that it can have a vote harvest in the coming elections. “They (Congress) are feeling let down by the corruption scandals and price rise... and they are afraid of losing elections. This is their old trick...,” BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said.

“They (Congress) are feeling let down by the corruption scandals and price rise... so they are afraid of losing elections. This is their old trick...,” BJP spokesperson Tarun Vijay said. According to the cable, Roemer said, “Over the past four years, he (Rahul) was an elusive contact, but he could be interested in reaching out to the United States, given a thoughtful, politically sensitive and strategic approach on our part”.

Describing the comments as “irresponsible”, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “If he (Rahul) sees a fringe radical Hindu group as the biggest threat in spite of so many terrorist attacks, including 26/11 in which involvement of Pakistani groups is confirmed, then it only underscores how ignorant he is about India and its problems.”

The Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) termed the remarks “shocking” and said there was a “race” in the senior Congress leadership to project Hindus as terrorists.

Political observers, however, find nothing new in these disclosures. Rahul has publicly observed that he equates the RSS and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) describing them as "fanatics”.

The Congress president, too, has in the past issued warnings about the threat of violence from these forces.

When contacted in New Delhi, the US Embassy offered no comments.