Bengaluru, July 29 (IANS) Karnataka BJP chief B. Y. Vijayendra on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his reported remarks in Parliament, questioning the “moral authority” of a leader who, he alleged, had insulted millions of Indians.
Vijayendra said the people of the country had rejected the Congress party in election after election over the past 12 years.
“If insulting both the leadership that has won a decisive mandate three times and the citizens who voted for it is considered politics, then the people of India have already decided who the real ‘idiot’ is,” he remarked.
Vijayendra referred to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that the country comprised only two categories of people, “students” and “idiots/blind followers”, and asked whether the comments were directed at the nearly 38 per cent of voters who supported the NDA in the last Lok Sabha elections.
“Does this mean that the 38 per cent of Indians, amounting to nearly 550 million people, who exercised their democratic right and voted for the NDA government are ‘idiots’ and ‘blind followers’?” Vijayendra asked.
Drawing a contrast between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said PM Modi had bowed before the steps of Parliament before entering the “temple of democracy,” while Gandhi, according to him, had chosen to criticise crores of Indians after electoral setbacks.
“On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to Parliament by bowing before its steps. On the other, Rahul Gandhi, who could not secure the people’s mandate in his favour, has returned to publicly insult millions of Indians,” Vijayendra said.
Questioning Gandhi’s political conduct, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress leader had repeatedly criticised India on foreign soil, politicised institutions ranging from the armed forces to cultural platforms, and later sought apologies in courts over unsubstantiated allegations.
“It is time to question his morality. Criticising one’s own country while standing on foreign soil, finding politics in everything from the armed forces to cultural institutions, and apologising before courts for unproven allegations: whose political style is this?” he asked.
Vijayendra further questioned Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stating that a leader who has faced repeated electoral defeats lacked the credibility to attack a government that had received a clear mandate from the people.
The BJP leader’s remarks come amid an ongoing political row over Rahul Gandhi’s comments in Parliament, which have triggered strong reactions from leaders of the ruling NDA.
–IANS
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