A few months ago, eminent historian Ramachandra Guha argued that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress under his leadership have enabled the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and speeded up its own descent. The main argument was that Rahul Gandhi was an inept leader, who was inconsistent and lacked the required grit, determination and discipline.A few days later, in an interview with Karan Thapar, Guha made the very same argument. Much of what he said is not new. He has held this position for some time, while simultaneously reiterating his intense dislike of the Narendra Modi-led BJP establishment. I believe Guha’s sharp comments come from a place of anxiety.He feels there is an urgent need for a leadership shake-up and an attitudinal change within the Congress, especially if it is to pose a serious challenge to the BJP. Guha’s comments have led to a series of responses, many in defense of Rahul Gandhi. What caught my attention, though, was a word he used both in the column and the interview. A word that went unnoticed. Guha said, he believes Rahul Gandhi’s is a ‘decent’ person.It has been a couple of months since Guha made his point and the country has since witnessed an upheaval. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests have dramatically changed the nature of our political conversations. During the protests, the Congress largely stayed away from Jantar Mantar. Rahul Gandhi himself did not go to the site.But he held two press conferences alongside the students and other protesters. During these interactions, he did something unusual. The leader of the opposition did not hog the limelight. After saying his bit, he moved aside and gave the stage entirely to the young protesters and activists. It is rare for a political leader to cede space to anyone, even rarer for someone to recede to the background. Rahul did both – without a doubt, a decent act.This sequence of events has made me wonder if we are underestimating the value of something as simple as decency in political leadership. Or have we become so cynical that political decency is not considered a virtue anymore? Guha did not seem to remark upon it as a potent political quality. Neither did those who responded to him. Instead, their arguments were about the BJP’s capture of institutions and so on.Decency is not just about doing the right thing. It is equally about placing the interests of another person before your own. This becomes especially significant when the other person has less power or social capital. Hidden within truly decent behaviour is a certain strength and self-assurance.The decent person is not insecure about their identity and does not seek to outshine others. I would think that, in politics these are significant qualities, even worth emulation. Now, I don’t mean to say the selflessness and self-effacement of politicians is necessarily selfless. There are benefits to this behaviour, such as being viewed in a positive manner and gaining political strength. But the gain is a byproduct of upright thought and action.The ethicality that Rahul Gandhi brings is certainly not a weaknessFor too long now, we have been told politics is all about cleverness, strategy, and unethical negotiations and transactions. The common sense is that decency does not get you anywhere, neither does good intention. You need to be shrewd and on the ball all the time. But these are qualities that can be developed. Or, we can surround ourselves with individuals who would ensure nothing falls between the cracks. On the other hand, it is very difficult for an adult to acquire decency, unless their social environment completely changes.What Rahul Gandhi brings to the table is a kind of ethicality that is missing from our polity. This is certainly not a weakness. To hold oneself to one’s own standards, especially when politics is filled with suspicion and venom is courageous.And yet, Rahul Gandhi has failed on other counts as a leader. He has allowed the Congress to make the same mistakes repeatedly. He has not been able to correct its organisational weaknesses or entitled manner of functioning. Neither is he always the best communicator. At times there is a gap between what he seems to be thinking and what he actually says. These are aspects of his personality that need critiquing, but not by ignoring or trivialising the qualities that set him apart.That said, Rahul Gandhi heads a political party and, hence, we have to ask: what part of the ethical sensibility he displays has been passed on to the organisation? Just a few months ago, the Congress moved away from its long-term alliance partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and shifted its allegiance to the victorious C. Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Going by accounts in the public domain, Rahul Gandhi did not speak to M.K. Stalin before parting ways.Similarly, he spoke recently about the social and cultural restrictions placed on Indian women. There can be no disagreement with anything he said, but where are the women in the Congress government in Karnataka? These wedges between Rahul Gandhi’s personal words and the actions of his party are unreconcilable. As I write this piece, students in Jharkhand are being subjected to tear gas. Rahul Gandhi’s reaction has come swiftly, “My message to Jharkhand students is very clear. We condemn any violence against peacefully protesting students.” But does this mean the Congress will pressure the Jharkhand government into taking responsibility? The Congress is after all a member of the Mahagathbandhan in the state.Speaking of responsibility, our prime minister has shown no signs of doing this for many, many catastrophes this country has faced since 2014. Prime minister Narendra Modi’s success lies not only in his larger-than-life image. Credit must be also given to the BJP. They understood his strengths and leveraged it, and covered for his weaknesses.Over the years, they have built a formidable shield around him. The people around Modi deflect accusations, keeping him spotless, even accepting blame on his behalf. The Congress, on the other hand, has done little to protect Rahul Gandhi. More often than not, he is left alone to face the music. This can mean one of two things. Either Rahul Gandhi refuses to listen and engage as a team or the Congress party has no faith in his idea of decent politics.T.M. Krishna is a musician, author and activist. He has recently authored the book We the people of India, Decoding our national symbols.