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Journalism of Courage
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday targeted Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the United States, saying that the Congress leader does not back down from “insulting the country “on his foreign trips.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur, while speaking to news agency ANI, said, “Rahul Gandhi on his foreign trips wants to insult the Prime Minister but ends up insulting the country. He doesn’t even consider India as a nation and calls it a union of states. He raises questions over India’s progress. What does he want to achieve on his foreign visits? Is mud-slinging all that he has left to do?”
Addressing a gathering of the Indian diaspora in Santa Clara, California, Rahul, who is on a six-day, three-city tour of the US, said the RSS and the BJP are controlling all the instruments of politics in India. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said, “I think if you sat Modi ji down next to god, Modi ji would start explaining to god how the universe works. And god would get confused that what have I created.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi too hit back at Gandhi for his remarks. He described the former Congress president as a “fake Gandhi” and as a person “who knows nothing” but has become an expert on everything. “It is funny how someone who knows nothing is suddenly an expert on everything. A man whose history knowledge does not go beyond his family is talking about history,” news agency PTI quoted the senior BJP leader.
Joshi also claimed that the Congress leader’s knowledge of history did not go beyond his family, according to the report. “A man who claimed to produce gold out of potatoes is giving lectures about science and a man who never ventured beyond family affairs now wants to lead India’s warfare,” Joshi added.
“No Mr. Fake Gandhi! The core of India is its culture. Unlike you, who use foreign soil to tarnish the country, Indians are very proud of their history and can very well defend their geography,” the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, PTI reported.
Earlier this year too, Rahul’s remarks during a week-long tour to the UK had drawn the ire of the ruling party, which had accused the Congress leader of insulting the country. Row over his remarks led to stalled sessions in Parliament.
Thakur, meanwhile, alleged that Rahul “could not digest” the praises PM Modi has garnered on his recent three-nation tour. “On one hand, PM Modi met almost 24 prime ministers and presidents of the world and held over 50 meetings during his foreign visit recently. The world talked about India’s progress, and it sees India as the future. Australia PM said ‘PM Modi is the Boss’, maybe Rahul Gandhi could not digest this… Italy’s PM said Modi ji is world’s most lokpriya neta (popular leader)… Congress can’t digest it. When world sees a hope in India, Congress can’t digest it,” Thakur said.
“The period Rahul Gandhi speaks of, the 80s, when atrocities were committed against Dalits and backward classes, then in the country and Uttar Pradesh, Congress was in power. Maybe he wants to show that during their time, there were atrocities against Dalit. It was during their time, the economy was unstable, now it’s the fifth largest economy,” Thakur added.
Thakur was referring to Rahul’s response to a question on “security threat” to Muslims in India. Rahul said, “The way you (Muslims) are feeling attacked, I can guarantee Sikhs, Christians, Dalits and Tribals are feeling the same way… Also I want to point out another thing: This happens periodically in India. What is happening to Muslims in India today happened to Dalits in 1980s. We have to fight it with affection, not with hatred. We will do that.”
“Today, Rahul insults Bharat (India), Bharatiyas (Indians), and Bhartiyata (Indianness), the nation will never accept this,” Thakur said.
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