Jaipur, Jul 30 (PTI) Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday criticised the prevailing political environment in the country, warning that the rising trend of polarisation was detrimental to the nation’s long-term interests.
“No one knows which direction the country is heading. The way politics is becoming polarised may seem appealing in the short term, but in the long run, it is not in the nation’s interest,” Gehlot told reporters in Bikaner.
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa slammed Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech in the Parliament on Operation Sindoor, stating that referring to the Indians killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack as ‘Hindus’ was wrong.
Gehlot emphasised that during the Congress party’s tenure, they ensured that the diverse fabric of the nation was kept intact.
“India is a vast country where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, and Jains all coexist. Various languages are spoken across regions. It was the Congress’ policies, programs, and the core values of the Constitution that kept the nation united,” he said.
He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to acknowledge the contributions of former Congress leaders.
“Modi never mentions the contributions of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to India’s development, nor the sacrifices made by former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi,” Gehlot added.
The veteran Congress leader further alleged that the ruling BJP treats the opposition as an enemy.
“In a democracy, the opposition and the ruling party should not be seen as enemies. If there is no opposition, what is the relevance of the ruling party?” he questioned, claiming that the BJP aims to silence dissenting voices and has openly advocated for a ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’.
Speaking to reporters about Shah’s address in the Parliament on Wednesday, Randhawa remarked that the home minister’s speech appeared to focus more on blaming the Congress party.
“The BJP wants to imply that India gained independence only after they took power in 2014. The world knows how the Congress fought for the country’s independence and made significant sacrifices. I want to tell Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah that we do not need a patriotism certificate from them,” he said.
Randhawa also highlighted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s question regarding whether the ceasefire was mediated by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The home minister and the defence minister gave lengthy speeches but failed to condemn the USA, despite Trump repeatedly claiming that he facilitated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan,” he said, adding that Modi should have spoken on this, but did not mention it in his speech. PTI AG MPL MPL
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