New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Wednesday for “insulting the nation” with his comments on Jammu and Kashmir. Javadekar said Gandhi’s “thoughts have changed” after his win from Wayanad.
“Amethi se jeet-te the toh aisa nahi bolte the (He did not say any such thing when he won from Amethi),” added the environment minister.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Javadekar also said not only Gandhi but Congress too should give an apology for their comments which have been used by Pakistan in its application to the United Nations on Jammu and Kashmir.
In its letter, Pakistan has cited Gandhi’s remarks on alleged violence in J&K after the Narendra Modi government decided to abrogate Article 370, which gave special status to the state, and bifurcated it. Gandhi later took to Twitter to hit out at Pakistan and said “Kashmir is India’s internal issue”.
There is violence in Jammu & Kashmir. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 28, 2019
After his failed attempt to tour Kashmir last week, when Gandhi and other opposition leaders sent back to Delhi from the Srinagar airport, the Congress leader had said he got a taste of the “draconian administration” in J&K.
It's been 20 days since the people of Jammu & Kashmir had their freedom & civil liberties curtailed. Leaders of the Opposition & the Press got a taste of the draconian administration & brute force unleashed on the people of J&K when we tried to visit Srinagar yesterday. pic.twitter.com/PLwakJM5W5
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 25, 2019
‘Nothing wrong with Wayanad’
Calling for an apology from Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, Javadekar said he wondered if winning from Wayanad also “changed his mindset”.
The BJP leader added, “Mujhe ascharya lagta hai, vote-bank politics kahan tak jayegi (I am surprised how far vote bank politics can go)”. He, however, said there was nothing wrong with Wayanad but only in its public representative. The Union minister refused to explain his comment further.
This is not the first time that BJP leaders have commented on Gandhi’s decision to contest from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala.
Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP president Amit Shah had targeted Gandhi for choosing Wayanad.
“And this Rahul baba, for his alliance, is contesting from such a seat where when a procession is taken out, it is difficult to make out whether it is India or Pakistan. He is contesting from such a seat,” Shah had said at a rally in Nagpur on 9 April.
Even Prime Minister Modi had questioned Gandhi’s choice of Wayanad. The PM had said the Congress leader picked a seat that was considered safe since the “majority are a minority” there.
“Congress ke naamdaar ne microscope le kar Bharat mein ek aisi seat khoji hai jahan par vo muqabala karne ki taakat rakh sake. Seat bhi aisi jahan par desh ki majority minority mein hai (The Congress dynast went out with a microscope to look for a safe seat to contest and selected a seat where the majority is in the minority),” Modi said at a rally in Maharashtra’s Nanded in April.
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On the other hand , BJP should apologise on behalf of J&K governor for saying that congress ko log joota se marenge . Is this the language of a person holding high office of governor. His statement has degraded the official position he holds. BJP should replace him immediately. Any comments Mr Javadekar or you are also arrogant like your partymen.