Nation trapped in a 'chakravyuh' of fear, says Rahul Gandhi

Says there are six people at the centre of chakravyuh; including PM and HM

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday claimed that an atmosphere of fear prevails across the country, with a group of six trapping the entire nation in a ‘chakravyuh.’

Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget 2024-25, the Congress leader referenced the Hindu epic Mahabharata, saying that a ‘chakravyuh’ has captured India, aiming to strengthen the monopoly of big businesses, political monopoly, and the deep state.

“Thousands of years ago in Haryana, in Kurukshetra, six people killed a youth, Abhimanyu, in a ‘chakravyuh.’ A ‘chakravyuh’ involves violence and fear. Abhimanyu was trapped and killed in the ‘chakravyuh’,” he said, promising that the ‘chakravyuh’ would be broken by the INDIA bloc.

Gandhi said the INDIA bloc will ensure that a legal guarantee for MSP as well as a caste census is passed by the House.

His speech, laced with invocations from the Mahabharata, led to an uproar in the House, prompting Speaker Om Birla to intervene frequently. The former Congress chief alleged that the sole aim of the Union Budget is to strengthen the framework of big businesses, political monopoly that destroys the democratic structure, and the deep state or the agencies.

“There is an atmosphere of fear, and that fear has pervaded every aspect of our country. In the BJP, only one man is allowed to dream of being the prime minister. If the defence minister wants to be PM, there is a big problem; there is fear. This fear has been spread throughout the country... why is it that my friends in the BJP are terrified, ministers are terrified, farmers, workers are terrified?” the Congress leader asked.

He said the ‘chakravyuh’ is also called a ‘padmavyuh’ for its resemblance to a lotus (BJP’s election symbol) formation.