Rahul Gandhi got mercilessly lampooned on Wednesday for "sleeping" in Parliament, but a closer look suggests the Congress vice-president was actually in animated conversation moments before his alleged slumber.
I was in Parliament sitting in the media gallery almost vertically above the Congress bench, and Rahul sat diagonally below, his profile fully visible. I took my seat towards the end of Question Hour. Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge too were there, right below where I was sitting.
The rest of the Congress MPs were in the well of the House raising slogans against the Gujarat government and the BJP over the Una incident. The Congress alleged that one of the accused in a video thrashing Dalit men over alleged cow slaughter is a BJP member. Shashi Tharoor was standing at the edge of the aisle leading to the well, a row ahead of Rahul Gandhi's seat. I noticed Sonia Gandhi turn towards Rahul, gesticulating, pointing toward the well and Rahul in turn pointing Tharoor out to her. I couldn't hear what they said but their gestures seemed to suggest she wanted him to be with the Congress MPs while he pointed out there was no space left.
Question hour ended and when the Speaker allowed Congress MP Suresh Kodikkunnil to raise the Una issue in Zero Hour, the well was cleared. Home Minister Rajnath Singh started his reply and the Congress benches kept interrupting him. They were joined by AAP's Bhagwant Mann and CPM's Mohammed Salim. The RJD, Samajwadi Party, TMC - all chipped in with one-liners.
Since all these members have their seats near Rahul's, the Congress vice-president was in my line of vision throughout this period. At no point did I notice him dozing off.
At what time the Lok Sabha TV cameras cut to show him with his eyes closed, I do not know. Off and on Rahul does have the habit of closing his eyes. Was it just that, or was he trying to catch forty winks in the middle of all that ruckus? I would give him the benefit of doubt. A man who was so animated when all that was happening could not have nodded off just like that.
Amid chaos Rajnath Singh ended his reply blaming the Congress for Dalit atrocities from in Gujarat from 1991 to 1999 and praising the BJP government in the state for the steps taken to end it. By this time the Congress was ready to stage a walkout. Sonia Gandhi stood up from her seat and walked towards the aisle. Rahul Gandhi too stood up and took her hand. The other congress MPs followed suit.
Hours later I heard media channels had flashed , "A sleeping Rahul Gandhi was left behind as congress MPs staged a walkout.'
Clearly perception had won.
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