In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the fray from Rae Bareli seat. His sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is constantly trying to ensure Rahul Gandhi's victory in this seat by aggressively campaigning at the front. Apparently, Rae Bareli seat has been a hot seat in national politics considering its possession by the Gandhi family for decades.
The least discussed name of the Gandhi family who held the seat at a time is Feroze Gandhi. Be it Priyanka Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi, both rarely take the name of Feroze Gandhi. On the contrary, BJP leaders are constantly mentioning him. Actually, BJP has made Dinesh Pratap Singh its candidate from Rae Bareli seat. He is directly asking when will Rahul take the name of ‘Dada’ Feroze Gandhi and when will Priyanka Gandhi visit Feroze Gandhi's grave. In such a situation, Feroze Gandhi has now become an election issue in Rae Bareli.
Rae Bareli and Feroze Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi's grandfather Feroze Gandhi contested the election from Rae Bareli for the first time in 1952. He retained the seat in 1957. This marked the making of Rae Bareli as the bastion of the Gandhi family, the very foundation. After Feroze Gandhi's demise, Indira Gandhi won from Rae Bareli in 1967, 1971 and 1980. Since then, the Rae Bareli seat has been continuously in the possession of the Gandhi family or their close ones. Since 2004, Sonia Gandhi has been winning from this seat.
Apart from Rae Bareli, Amethi was also considered the family seat of the Gandhi family. Last time Rahul Gandhi lost the family seat Amethi. The only seat left with the Gandhi family in UP is Rae Bareli and this time Rahul has to save the family's reputation along with politics in Rae Bareli. But this is also not easy for Rahul as the margin of vote has been increasing by each passing election.
Gandhi family forgotten Feroze Gandhi
About 70 years have passed since the death of Feroze Gandhi. Meanwhile, Feroze Gandhi has come alive again in the elections of Raebareli. It is a different matter that his name is recited by his family members, but by the BJP, simply because this time the issue of Raebareli has been linked to Feroze Gandhi.
The reason for BJP mentioning Feroze Gandhi persistently lies in the negligence of Gandhi family towards him. Despite being the grandfather of Rahul Gandhi, his grave barely receives a visitor in Prayagraj. According to Brijlal, the caretaker of his grave, it was 15-16 years ago when someone used to come to see the grave occasionally. But the question is what was the crime of Feroze Gandhi? Did he deserve this? In fact, Gandhi written with his name on the grave has also been removed.
As far as Gandhi family is concerned, they had already removed Jahangir from their name and now only Gandhi is left. It is a sheer irony that “He is not dead” is inscribed on Feroze Gandhi’s grave while his own family has forgotten him.
ALSO READ | Contesting Rae Bareli as it is 'karmabhoomi' of my two mothers: Rahul Gandhi at Raebareli rally
