Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP: Abuses hurled at Rahul but he won't bow down
In a blistering attack on the BJP, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said Rahul Gandhi, the son of a martyred prime minister, was called Mir Jafar and insults were hurled at his family. But, she said, he would not bow down as he belongs to a family whose members have nurtured democracy by their blood.
Her attack came after the former Congress president and her brother was disqualified from Lok Sabha, a day after he was convicted by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case Thursday.
Targetting PM
In a series of tweets, Priyanka Gandhi launched an all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying in a tweet in Hindi, “Narendra Modi ji, your sycophants called the son of a martyred prime Minister a traitor, Mir Jafar. One of your Chief Minister raised questions as to who is the father of Rahul Gandhi? Following the custom of Kashmiri Pandits, a son wears pagdi after his fathers death, maintaining his family’s tradition.”
..@narendramodi जी आपके चमचों ने एक शहीद प्रधानमंत्री के बेटे को देशद्रोही, मीर जाफ़र कहा। आपके एक मुख्यमंत्री ने सवाल उठाया कि राहुल गांधी का पिता कौन है?
कश्मीरी पंडितों के रिवाज निभाते हुए एक बेटा पिता की मृत्यु के बाद पगड़ी पहनता है, अपने परिवार की परंपरा क़ायम रखता है…1/4
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 24, 2023
“Insulting the whole family and the Kashmiri Pandit community, you asked in Parliament why we don’t keep the name Nehru. But no judge gave you a sentence of two years. Did not disqualify you from Parliament,” she said.
Also read: Rahul disqualification: Will keep fighting, says Cong; BJP terms action lawful
Stepping up its attack on Rahul Gandhi over his democracy in danger remark in London, the BJP had on Tuesday dubbed him as the “present-day Mir Jafar of Indian polity” who went overseas seeking help from foreign forces to become a nawab in India.
Family roots
The Congress general secretary said Rahul is a “true patriot” and has questioned Adani Group’s loot, raised questions on Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. “…You call my family dynasty, do note that this family has nurtured India’s democracy with their blood,” she said.
“This family raised the voice of the people of India and fought for the truth for generations,” she said.
Later, speaking with reporters after attending a meeting at the AICC headquarters here, she said, “Be it the BJP spokespersons, ministers, MPs ministers or the PM himself, they keep criticising my family, Rahul ji, Indira ji, my mother, Nehru ji and use abusive language, everyone knows this, but he has not been handed down a two-year sentence or disqualified them.”
Adani issue
“My brother raised the issue of Adani and that is why all this is happening. There was a stay on the (defamation) case and after my brother made that speech in Parliament about Adani why was the case suddenly revived,” she asked.
“This government does not want to answer on Adani issue and that is why all this planning has been done,” she alleged adding “the Congress will keep fighting and will not be afraid.”
The court in Surat sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in the defamation case, filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his alleged remark, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”
Also read: Rahul’s disqualification: Cong to hit the streets, reach out to Opposition
Hitting out at the government over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha, the Congress said it was “a black day for Indian democracy” and asserted that the battle will be fought both “legally and politically”.
(With Agency inputs)
