Home minister says opposition parties will be compelled to launch a ‘MeToo campaign’ against the Congress if they ally with it.
Hyderabad: Ouster of M.J. Akbar from the NDA government as a result of the #MeToo movement seems to be weighing heavily on the minds of his former ministerial colleagues as Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday cautioned the BJP’s youth leaders against making any compromises “with character”.
He also cautioned opposition parties against allying with the Congress, saying that they will end up regretting it and will be forced to start a “MeToo campaign”.
Also read: Here’s how Rahul Gandhi managed to make Rafale a big issue
“Whichever political party went with the Congress could not be saved from extinction by any power. They will relent. When they are ditched by the Congress later, they will be compelled to start a MeToo campaign,” he said in his inaugural address at the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)’s two-day convention in Hyderabad.
The BJP youth wing event also witnessed a concerted attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi. It started with BJYM national president Poonam Mahajan exhorting party colleagues to teach a lesson to “Pappu Chandal Choukari” (in an indirect reference to Rahul Gandhi who opposition leaders have often ridiculed as ‘Pappu’ and his close aides) in 2019.
Rajnath Singh later sought to make light of Rahul Gandhi’s allegations against the government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, repeatedly drawling on “RaaaaaaaaFa(i)l…. RaaaaaaFa(i)l…..RaaaaaaFa(i)l.” The home minister said the opposition party is “playing with” the country’s security and helping those who are against India by repeatedly making false allegations.
“They think if they tell a lie 100 times, it will become truth,” he said.
The two-day event with the theme, “Victory Target 2019: Youth Power Convention”, is expected to galvanise the party, especially the youth, in south India where the BJP juggernaut, impelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popular appeal, hasn’t been able to produce expected results. Hyderabad, the venue of the BJYM meet, is the capital of Telangana, which will go to polls in November.
The BJP has lined up top leaders at its youth wing event, including Rajnath Singh, Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, his Assam counterpart Sarbananda Sonowal, Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and many other prominent party leaders. BJP president Amit Shah will deliver the valedictory address Sunday.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi raises Rafale pitch, calls Narendra Modi a ‘gatekeeper for Anil Ambani’
In his inaugural address, Rajnath Singh quoted Swami Vivekananda’s remark — “Character makes the man” — to drive home a clear message: “Apne jeevan mein charitra se samjhauta mat karna (don’t make any compromise with character in your life).”
He said any party that will go with the Congress in the elections would be “finished”. The Left has gone on the political margins today because it has been with the Congress for the longest time, said Rajnath Singh, adding, “Jo bhi Congress se milaa, rajniti se gaya (whoever shook hands with the Congress got pushed out of politics).”
Now even Rajnath Singh is dragged into this?! Agriculture minister, textile minister, HRD minister, railway minister, communication minister — everyone in BJP has commented on Rafale. But no one has answered the two very simple and RELEVANT questions everyone is asking about it.
The way Rajnath ji has so very late agreed to speak on this subject goes to show that privately he finds it indefensible — and embarrassing to talk about.