NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday said that the BJP should not equate itself with the entire nation and affirmed that the party will continue to criticise the government’s policies after BJP attacked Rahul Gandhi’s recent comments during his visit to the United States.
Head of the Congress’ media and publicity department Pawan Khera said, “Since when has BJP become synonymous with India that if one condemns BJP, it is equated with condemning India.The BJP and Narendra Modi should not have this misunderstanding that condemning them is like condemning India.”
“This is wrong. They (the BJP) condemn India’s founding fathers in the world, that is condemning India. We will condemn their policies and will keep doing so and raise questions, it is our job,” Khera said.
Defending Rahul’s remarks, Khera also referenced concerns raised by an independent body about irregularities in 79 parliamentary seats during the Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi in US: Follow live updates
“It is ok that the Election Commission is not listening to us but it does not mean that we will spare these people when we come to power. Then we will take befitting action no matter where the person is sitting,” Khera told reporters here.
“When the PM says on foreign soil that people were ashamed to be born on Indian soil, what was that? When he speaks against (Jawaharlal) Nehru abroad, what was that?” he said.
Khera further addressed controversial statements made by the Prime Minister both in India and abroad, including remarks about recognizing people by their clothing and the BJP’s stance against the hijab.
“A person sitting on the post of PM talks about recognising people by clothes. His party runs a movement against Hijab. Those who run a movement against hijab now will tomorrow also come for turbans of Sikhs. Nobody has a doubt about that,” Khera said.
During his address to Indian Americans in Herndon, Virginia, Rahul had highlighted the need to protect the rights of all religions in India.
“First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics. That is superficial, the fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or a kada in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That’s what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions,” said the Congress leader.
BJP leaders, including Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, condemned Rahul’s remarks regarding the Sikh community, accusing him of spreading misinformation and damaging India’s reputation abroad.
Puri described Gandhi’s comments as an attempt to mislead Sikhs living overseas who have limited connections to India while Union minister Chouhan accused Rahul of tarnishing India’s reputation on foreign soil. Chouhan said that the remarks made by the Congress leader were unwarranted and detrimental to the nation’s image.
Head of the Congress’ media and publicity department Pawan Khera said, “Since when has BJP become synonymous with India that if one condemns BJP, it is equated with condemning India.The BJP and Narendra Modi should not have this misunderstanding that condemning them is like condemning India.”
“This is wrong. They (the BJP) condemn India’s founding fathers in the world, that is condemning India. We will condemn their policies and will keep doing so and raise questions, it is our job,” Khera said.
Defending Rahul’s remarks, Khera also referenced concerns raised by an independent body about irregularities in 79 parliamentary seats during the Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi in US: Follow live updates
“It is ok that the Election Commission is not listening to us but it does not mean that we will spare these people when we come to power. Then we will take befitting action no matter where the person is sitting,” Khera told reporters here.
“When the PM says on foreign soil that people were ashamed to be born on Indian soil, what was that? When he speaks against (Jawaharlal) Nehru abroad, what was that?” he said.
Khera further addressed controversial statements made by the Prime Minister both in India and abroad, including remarks about recognizing people by their clothing and the BJP’s stance against the hijab.
“A person sitting on the post of PM talks about recognising people by clothes. His party runs a movement against Hijab. Those who run a movement against hijab now will tomorrow also come for turbans of Sikhs. Nobody has a doubt about that,” Khera said.
During his address to Indian Americans in Herndon, Virginia, Rahul had highlighted the need to protect the rights of all religions in India.
“First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics. That is superficial, the fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or a kada in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That’s what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions,” said the Congress leader.
BJP leaders, including Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, condemned Rahul’s remarks regarding the Sikh community, accusing him of spreading misinformation and damaging India’s reputation abroad.
Puri described Gandhi’s comments as an attempt to mislead Sikhs living overseas who have limited connections to India while Union minister Chouhan accused Rahul of tarnishing India’s reputation on foreign soil. Chouhan said that the remarks made by the Congress leader were unwarranted and detrimental to the nation’s image.