Senior BJP leaders, including party chief JP Nadda and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, lashed out at Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday night, accusing the congressional deputy of disrespecting North Indians and seeking to “divide and govern “, during an election rally in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. .
Gandhi, who is in the southern state to campaign before the Assembly elections to be held in a few weeks, said: “For the first 15 years I was a deputy in the north. So I had gotten used to a different kind of Politics to Kerala was very refreshing, as I suddenly discovered that people are interested in problems … and not only superficially, but also in details. “
“And recently I was telling students that I really enjoy Kerala and Wayanad. It is not just about affection, but about the way you do your politics. There is intelligence with which you do your politics,” he added.
For the first 15 years, I was a deputy in the north. I had gotten used to a different kind of politics. For me, coming to Kerala was very refreshing as I suddenly found that people are interested in problems and not only superficially, but also in details: Rahul Gandhi, in Trivandrum pic.twitter.com/weBG2T1WAf
– ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2021
Mr. Gandhi is currently the deputy of Lok Sabha of Wayanad.
He was previously a three-term MP for Amethi of Uttar Pradesh, a stronghold of the Gandhi family that was brought down by Smriti Irani of the BJP in the 2019 elections. He contested from both Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, and only retained his MP status after win in the first.
Gandhi may have seen his comments as a compliment to the political spirit of the people of the state, where the Congress-led UDF is the main opposition and has been fiercely targeting the ruling left-wing alliance on multiple issues, including corruption and Unemployment.
However, the BJP was quick to respond to his comments, with some of its leaders criticizing Gandhi for trying to “divide” the country and others for running over the North Indians after they voted for him.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, whose father, K Subrahmanyam, a former civil servant, was from Tamil Nadu, spoke of his pan-Indian upbringing and said that “India is one … never divide us.”
“I am from the south. I am a deputy from a western state. I was born, educated and worked in the north. I represented all of India to the world. India is one. Never destroy a region; never divide us,” he tweeted.
I come from the south.
I am a deputy from a western state.
I was born, educated and worked in the North.
I represented all of India to the world.
India is one.
Never go through a region; never divide us.– Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 23, 2021
BJP chief JP Nadda offered a scathing retort, tweeting: “A few days ago I was in the northeast, spewing poison against the western part of India. Today in the south it is spewing poison against the north. The policy of divide and rule not work … People have rejected this policy. Look what happened in Gujarat today! “
A few days ago I was in the northeast, spewing poison against the western part of India.
Today in the south he is spewing poison against the north.
The politics of divide and rule won’t work @RahulGandhi Hee!
People have rejected this policy. See what happened today in Gujarat!
– Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) February 23, 2021
Mr Nadda was referring to the local body elections in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, in which the BJP is ready to claim an overwhelming victory; the ruling party was winning 405 of 576 seats as the count progressed through Tuesday night.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also tweeted, mocking Gandhi for stating that he welcomes issue-based politics after failing to understand the “pulse of his family’s (Amethi) pocket neighborhood.”
“So, RahulHee Do you think the people of the north are not interested in issue-based politics? They weren’t interested in your empty promises, RahulHee. You couldn’t understand the pulse of the people in his family’s pocket neighborhood even after representing him for 15 years, “he tweeted.
“As Amethi was awash in saffron when people realized your deception, there will soon come a day when even the people of Kerala will make you flee,” he added.
Just as Amethi was awash in saffron when the people realized your lantern, there will soon come a day when even the people of Kerala will make you flee.
– Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 23, 2021
Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also criticized Gandhi.
Shekhawat seemed to investigate Gandhi’s Italian roots and tweeted: “North, south, east (or) west, no matter where you go, Rahul Gandhi, you will always find superficial Indians. Because to understand us, you have to be Indian first!”
North
South
this
WestNo matter where Rahul Gandhi goes, he will always meet the shallow Indians.
Because, to understand us, you first have to be an Indian!
– Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) February 23, 2021
Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted: “Look at his cheek. The man who ran to Kerala to save his seat at Lok Sabha questions the intelligence of North Indians, including those who faithfully voted for his family for generations! The fact is … forced to run due to lack of performance and lack of development. “
Rather than accept failure and ineptitude to show results, he is trying to imply that he changed districts because voters lacked intelligence.
It is this combination of arrogance and selfishness that is responsible for the state of Congress today.– Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) February 23, 2021
Earlier today, Gandhi launched an all-out attack on the government of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and, in an unexpected change of plan, he visited groups of young high-ranking officials from the Public Service Commission who were protesting in front of the secretariat, demanding jobs and talks with the state government.
He had also criticized the BJP in reference to agricultural laws and so-called “terrorists” farmers.
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