wants to distance itself from the leftist idea of secularism which negates religion. This shows that his temple-hopping during the Gujarat election was not state-specific and is a part of a larger ideological design.The BJP/RSS had tried to hijack the Congress legacy of the freedom struggle. Rahul Gandhi has shown the zeal to fight back. He said when freedom fighters were sleeping on the floor in British jails, the biggest icon of Hindutva, Savarkar, was busy writing letters to the British begging them for mercy. He told the audience that Gandhi-ji had spent 15 years in jail. He reminded people how the RSS excludes the Dalits and the legacy of Ambedkar, how it commodifies women, and seeks cultural hegemony over the Tamils and citizens of the north-eastern states.Whatwas especially refreshing is his admission that the Congress has failed to rise to the expectations of the people and committed mistakes. This was a smart move to underline the arrogance of Modi and his government. But the Congress should not forget that Modi is made of a different mettle. He is gladiatorial in his instinct, has remarkable resilience to adjust and change, and has massive talent to surprise with new moves. After the losses in the recent by-polls, he is greatly wounded - and a wounded Modi is more dangerous than a sombre one. He knows that unlike 2014, the battle for 2019 will be more difficult and strenuous. Rahul should always remember that when Modi attacks, he does not spare an inch and is the most