IN A clear message to some of its leaders who have a penchant to make controversial statements, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday told the party that he would not hesitate to take action against those who make comments not in sync with the party line. Addressing an extended meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Rahul asked party leaders not to lose sight of the bigger fight with the BJP and cautioned them against giving comments which can dent the party’s image and hurt its fight against the BJP. For long, the Congress used to either distance itself or reject controversial statements made by some of its leaders. Everything changed when it suspended Mani Shankar Aiyar for his “neech aadmi” barb against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections last year. Rahul did not name anyone, but the message was clear to the leaders present. He is learnt to have told them that while he welcomed freedom of expression and was open to different ideas, they should refrain from making comments which are not in tune with the party’s line, especially at times of elections. His comments came days after the BJP attacked the Congress over Lok Sabha Shashi Tharoor’s remarks that India will become a “Hindu Pakistan” if the BJP wins elections in 2019. Read | Congress non-working committee met under non-performing chief: BJP Congress communication department head Randeep Surjewala said Rahul told the meeting that under the BJP government aspirations are being crushed, voices are being subjugated and hopes are lying shattered. “And the discourse is being made poisonous by way of a concerted conspiracy by the ruling BJP. In that context, he told the Congress leaders not to lose sight of the goal and of the people’s issues. and their pains and sufferings,” he said, quoting the party chief. “Let’s not be guided by a failed Prime Minister and a failed government, which has nothing to offer, except for the poisonous, venomous, divide and rule policy. And that’s why he (Gandhi) spoke about the gravitas of the language and conduct expected by the people of this country of Congress leaders and (said) they should adhere to it,” Surjewala said, quoting Rahul.
