‘Modi was abused 110 times in 10 yrs’: Nadda slams Cong, Rahul in tit-for-tat letter to Kharge

A war of words has broken out between the BJP and the Congress leadership over usage of violent and abusive language against Rahul Gandhi by leaders of the saffron party.

In what looked like a tit for tat response to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue, BJP president JP Nadda in a letter to the former on Thursday (September 19) accused Rahul of having a history of abusing the prime minister and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and of siding with anti-India forces.

In his three-page letter to Kharge, Nadda cited his party's own litany of complaints against Rahul, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and other Congress members for their choice of words against the prime minister.

Why are you defending Rahul?: Nadda asks Kharge

Nadda said Rahul has a history of calling the entire OBC, including the prime minister, a "thief" and using extremely indecent words against Modi.

"Under what compulsion are you trying to justify Rahul Gandhi," the BJP president asked his Congress counterpart.

He also claimed that Congress leaders in the last 10 years have abused Modi 110 times, accusing the opposition party of double standards.

‘Compulsion to market failed product’

Nadda claimed that Kharge's letter was driven by his political compulsion to market a "failed product" repeatedly rejected by people.

"Your comments are far from truth. It appears from your letter that you have either forgotten the misdeeds of Gandhi and other leaders or have deliberately ignored them," Nadda wrote.

Kharge's letter to Modi

Kharge in a letter shot to Modi had called "extremely objectionable" and “violent” statements made by ruling alliance members against Rahul while urging the prime minister to discipline his leaders.

In his letter, the Congress leader demanded that strict legal action should be taken against those giving such statements so that Indian politics can be prevented from degenerating and nothing untoward happens.

The world is shocked that a Union minister and a minister from Uttar Pradesh are calling Rahul "number one terrorist", while a Shiv Sena MLA announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh to the person who "cuts off the tongue of the Leader of the Opposition and brings it to him", he had said.

'What about beating PM, maut ka saudagar taunt?' 

Hitting back, Nadda said Rahul had once spoken of people "beating up" Modi with baton, betraying his "disrespectful" mindset.

His mother Sonia Gandhi, he added, had once called Modi, then Gujarat chief minister, "maut ka saudagar", he added.

"You and your party leaders kept glorifying such unfortunate and shameful comments. Why had the Congress then forgotten about political probity?" Nadda told Kharge.

‘Modi the most insulted leader’

Nadda alleged no leader in the history of independent India was "insulted" as much as Modi was by Congress leaders, citing several objectionable remarks used for the prime minister over the years.

The BJP president asked if the Congress feels proud of Rahul because he pallies with anti-India and pro-Pakistan forces, and seeks foreign intervention in Indian democracy.

He alleged that Rahul has repeatedly insulted the Hindu ‘Sanatan’ culture, sought evidence of armed forces' bravery and used controversial remarks for Sikhs.

Naming Congress leaders like Sam Pitroda, Shashi Tharoor, Digvijay Singh, P Chidambaram, K Suresh and Imran Masood, Nadda claimed that Congress leaders did everything to defame the country.

‘Congress selling poison of casteism’

Congress leaders instigated people and regions against each other and pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in their programmes, he alleged.

He said, "If anyone has defamed and insulted the Indian democracy the most, it is the Congress party." Nadda cited the imposition of Emergency, the Congress' alleged support to triple talaq, and claimed that the Congress is selling the poison of casteism and anti-national content from its so called "mohabbat ki dukan".

(With inputs from agencies)