New Delhi/Ranchi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about the Sikh community in America and said that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha is trying to create a ‘dangerous discourse’ by speaking on ‘sensitive issues’ abroad. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, while addressing reporters at the BJP headquarters here, said that Rahul’s remarks are ‘horrific’ as he tried to spread lies among the members of the Sikh community living abroad to make his living.
The BJP leader, who belongs to the Sikh community, said, “I strongly condemn the remarks made by him about Sikhs wearing turbans and Kada.” Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that took place during the Congress rule, Puri said, “If there has been a time in our history when as a community we have felt anxiety, a sense of insecurity and threat to our existence, it was a time when Rahul Gandhi’s family was in power.”
He said, “In 1984, there was a massacre against the Sikh community. 3,000 innocent people were killed. People were dragged out of their homes, tires were put around their necks and they were burnt alive.” Addressing hundreds of people from the Indian American community in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) considers some religions, languages and communities inferior to others. He said that in India, the fight is being fought not for politics but for this very thing.
He said, “First of all you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics.” Rahul asked a Sikh man sitting in the audience in the first row, “My turbaned brother, what is your name?” The Congress leader said, “The fight is about whether a Sikh has the right to wear a turban or a kada in India or not. Or as a Sikh, he can go to the Gurudwara or not. The fight is about this and it is not only for him, but for all religions.” Rahul Gandhi is currently on a four-day visit to America. The first stop of his visit, which started on Saturday, was Dallas and he reached Washington on Monday.
Taking a dig at the Congress leader, Puri said that Rahul Gandhi has been making statements on sensitive issues recently, including national identity, unity and diversity. He said, “I think he is trying to create a new type of discourse, which I think is dangerous.” Puri said, “I think it is even more frightening because Rahul Gandhi is trying to spread a false story in front of the people of my community who are trying to earn a livelihood in America with hard work and honesty.” Rejecting Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, Puri said that the Modi government has worked out of the box to resolve the issues related to the Sikh community.
He said, “I don’t think Sikhs felt so safe and more respected in any period of our history after 1947 as they do today.” Puri also said, “In the last 10 years, every time Prime Minister Modi visits the gurdwara, he wears a turban.” He said that all the pending demands of the Sikh community, including the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and Veer Bal Diwas, have also been fulfilled during Modi’s tenure.
Puri also targeted Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Lok Sabha elections and said that when the Congress leader mentioned freezing of his party’s bank accounts, he should have also explained why the accounts were frozen. Asked if there was any conspiracy in Gandhi’s remarks about Sikhs, Puri said, “I see an attempt to create a dangerous narrative here.” He said, “It is also possible that he is appealing to separatist groups to come forward and create other problems. Whether this is a big conspiracy, we will find out.” Asked whether any complaint would be lodged against Rahul Gandhi or any action would be taken to remove him from the post of Leader of Opposition, the minister said that he is trying to tarnish the image of the country and in the process he is tarnishing his own image.
He said, “I will not personally lodge any complaint.” BJP leader R P Singh intervened in the matter and said that if Gandhi makes such statements in India, he will file a complaint against him in the court. Puri said, “But you can file a case against him even if he has said something outside the country. You see it and decide. This press conference is not (the platform) to take a decision.” To this Singh said, “Then he (Rahul) is definitely going to face it.
Rahul Gandhi is defaming India abroad in frustration of defeat: Shivraj Singh Chauhan
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Tuesday targeted Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government and Election Commission in the US and accused him of defaming India abroad in frustration of repeated defeats in elections. BJP’s Jharkhand election in-charge Chauhan reached Ranchi today to attend a meeting in connection with the party’s proposed Parivartan rally to be held this month.
Taking a dig at Gandhi over his alleged statement, Chouhan said, “Only a frustrated person can defame the country and tarnish its image abroad. Now he is questioning not only the government but also the Election Commission.” He told reporters at the BJP state headquarters here, “Criticising your own country in another country cannot be a patriotic act.” He said that Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and it is a post of responsibility. Chouhan said that when Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister of the country, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the leader of the opposition.
He said, “At that time he (Vajpayee) had represented India abroad on many occasions. As the leader of the opposition, he never tried to tarnish the country’s image outside the country.” He said, “But this (Rahul Gandhi) is such a leader who is frustrated. Due to the third consecutive defeat, he has developed blind opposition towards BJP, Sangh (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and while opposing, he has started opposing the country itself.” Chauhan said that due to continuous defeat, Rahul is disappointed and frustrated and is venting his frustration abroad.
He said, “There is no Congress and BJP outside the country. Inside the country, we can fight on issues but outside the country, there is only India.” He alleged, “Rahul Gandhi is constantly trying to tarnish the image of the country and trying to tarnish the image of the country comes under the category of treason.” Rahul Gandhi is currently on a four-day visit to the US. The first stop of his visit, which began on Saturday, was Dallas and he reached Washington on Monday.