Chandigarh: Subhash Sudha was trying to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi. What he said instead put the senior Haryana BJP leader on the back foot. Speaking to the media in Kurukshetra, the former Haryana minister said the PM had given 25 years of his life to the country. He then went on to talk about Modi’s years as Gujarat chief minister.
“How he made schemes for Gujarat. How he did Godhra kand, bade-bade kand,” Sudha said in a video that has since gone viral on social media.
The remarks were made on 7 October after Sudha attended a Seva Jyoti Kalash Yatra programme in Kurukshetra to mark the prime minister completing 25 years in public office—starting as Gujarat chief minister in 2001 and then moving to Delhi as prime minister. Haryana cabinet minister Krishan Lal Panwar was also present at the event.
Once the clip began circulating, the Opposition was quick to pounce. Among the first to react was Congress leader and Thanesar MLA Ashok Arora, Sudha’s old rival in Thanesar. “Saara din jhooth bolne walon ki zubaan par bhi kabhi na kabhi to sacchai aa hi jaati hai (Truth comes out at some point from the mouth of even those who lie all day),” said Arora when The Print contacted him for comments.
The jibe plays on a familiar Hindi saying that truth eventually slips out even from habitual liars. Arora’s use of it left little doubt about whom he was targeting.
The Congress has long accused the BJP leadership of misleading the public on the 2002 Godhra riots.
On Saturday, Sudha called a press conference to say his words had been twisted. He claimed the Opposition was distorting his statement, and said he would get the matter investigated and ensure “strictest action”.
At the press conference, Sudha went back to praising the PM. He said Modi had worked for the country’s development and religion. “Unhone jo kaam kiye, vipaksh ka baap bhi woh kaam nahi kar sakta tha. (The work he has done, Opposition could never have done,” he said, provocatively.
He listed Jan Dhan, Swachh Bharat, Ayushman Bharat, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and the Jal Jeevan Mission. He said the PM had also got places of worship renovated, built highways and strengthened railway and road infrastructure.
Sudha also mentioned the revival of Kurukshetra’s Brahma Sarovar and the work done at Somnath. He said the Opposition did not see development work, and that his region had received many facilities from the PM.
Sudha won the Thanesar seat on a BJP ticket in 2014 and 2019, defeating Ashok Arora both times. Arora contested as an INLD candidate in 2014 and as a Congress candidate in 2019. In 2024, Arora beat Sudha.
In March 2024, Sudha became Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Nayab Saini government, when Saini replaced Manohar Lal Khattar as chief minister.
ThePrint reached out to Sudha through calls and WhatsApp messages for a comment on his video, but there was no response. The report will be updated if and when he responds.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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