NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday defended his remarks pertaining to Sikhs and other sections of Indian society, made during his visit to the United States, and accused the BJP of resorting to lies and making desperate attempts to silence him.
Rahul Gandhi said he will always speak up for the values that define India. “I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad: Is there anything wrong with what I have said? Shouldn’t India be a country where every Sikh — and every Indian — can freely practice their religion without fear?” he asked. “As usual, the BJP is resorting to lies. They are desperate to silence me because they cannot stand the truth. But I will always speak up for the values that define India: our unity in diversity, equality, and love,” he added.
The Congress leader also posted a clip of the speech he made in the US. “First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics, that is superficial. What is your name, brother? — Balinder Singh. The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India, or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to wear a kada in India or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to the Gurudwara. That’s what the fight is about, and not just for him, but for all religions”, Rahul Gandhi said.
The BJP has been spreading lies about my remarks in America.
I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad – is there anything wrong in what I have said? Shouldn’t India be a country where every Sikh – and every Indian – can freely practice their religion… pic.twitter.com/sxNdMavR1X
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 21, 2024
“What the RSS is basically saying is that certain states are inferior to other states, certain religions are inferior to other religions, certain languages are inferior to other languages and certain communities are inferior to other communities. That is what the fight is about. We are of the opinion that whether you are from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, all of you have your history, all of you have your traditions, all of you have your language, and every single one of them is as important as any other one…”
“…The fight is about what type of India we are going to have. Are we going to have an India where the people are allowed to believe what they want to believe, respect what they want to respect, say what they want to say and listen to what they want to hear or are we going to have an India where only a few limited people are going to decide what is going to happen. The problem is that these people don’t understand India,” the Congress leader added.
A war of words has erupted between Congress and BJP leaders over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. Union Minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu termed Rahul Gandhi as “country’s number 1 terrorist,” drawing strong condemnation from Congress.
“Rahul Gandhi is not an Indian; he has spent most of his time outside. He doesn’t love his country much because he goes abroad and says everything in the wrong way. The people who are most wanted, separatists, and experts in making bombs, guns, and shells have appreciated what Rahul Gandhi has said. The enemies of the country who try to blow up planes, trains, and roads are in support of Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi is the country’s number 1 terrorist. The biggest enemy of the country whom the agencies should catch is Rahul Gandhi today”, Bittu said earlier.
Congress leaders slammed Bittu and some other leaders from NDA over “threatening language” against Rahul Gandhi. Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference that the party will take legal recourse and ensuring that all those miscreants are punished severely.
Venugopal alleged that these threats were being issued under a deliberate plan and conspiracy as the BJP was feeling threatened by Rahul Gandhi’s rising popularity. He also questioned the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union Home Minister Amit Shah over remarks of Bittu and other leaders from NDA.
Singhvi alleged that BJP was a party in panic. “For the last decade every time Rahul Gandhi has raised his voice on any issue about a community, about fear mongering, about minorities, the BJP has gone into a panic mode.”The ruling party was clearly instigating, inciting and igniting hatred against Rahul Gandhi”, he alleged.
The Congress earlier sought registration of an FIR against Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and others and alleged that there had been attempt to provoke violence against him. Congress treasurer Ajay Maken submitted a complaint in the Tughlak Road police station in this regard. The police complaint listed the “life threat” issued by the BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah to Rahul Gandhi.
The complaint also sought registration of an FIR against BJP’s ally Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad and referred to Bittu describing Rahul Gandhi as the “No. 1 terrorist”. The complaint mentioned “similar utterances” by an Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Singh.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed in the Delhi High Court against Bittu over his remarks. BJP leaders have come down heavily over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks made during his visit to the US earlier this month.
Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the kind of “misleading and baseless things” that Rahul Gandhi stated during his foreign tour is “extremely shameful” and hurt the dignity of India. The Minister said the entire country recognises and respects the great role played by the Sikh community in protecting the culture of India. He said it is not befitting for an opposition leader to make “such false” statements about them.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks were cause of concern and he is “not acting childishly, but dangerously”. BJP leaders also slammed Rahul Gandhi’s remarks pertaining to “reservations”. (ANI)