Jaipal backs Sushma in couple’s passport issue
Condemns attack on minister by leaders of her own party
Former minister and senior Congress leader S. Jaipal Reddy has come to the rescue of Union minister for external affairs Ms Sushma Swaraj on the issue of revivification of a Hindu-Muslim couples’ passport. He condemned the attack on the minister by leaders of her party.
Mr Jaipal Reddy said the followers of the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, and the Union minister for textiles, Ms Smriti Irani, in the social media criticised Ms Sushma Swaraj in vulgar language. Mr Reddy said that they have a Hitler mentality.
Ms Sushma Swaraj became a target for trolls after an allegedly prejudiced regional passport officer in Lucknow was transferred for allegedly behaving discriminatorily.
The official had rejected the renewal of the passports of a Hindu-Muslim couple. The officer denied he was discriminatory and said he was just following procedure. The wife put out a tweet in this regard and tagged Ms Sushma Swaraj. The official was transferred to Gorakhpur from Lucknow a day after the incident came to light.
Ms Sushma Swaraj was out of the country when the incident occurred, as she said in her tweet that she also used to highlight all the troll attacks on her.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mr Jaipal Reddy said that it was very unfortunate that Ms Sushma Swaraj was being criticised by her own party leaders on the issue. He slammed the social media army of Mr Modi, saying that they remind him of Hitler’s forces. Mr Jaipal Reddy said the reason for attack on Ms Swaraj through social media was because of her popularity and the fear that she may upstage Mr Modi eventually.
Mr Jaipal Reddy also said that immediately after the elections the BJP would take on the Telangana State Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He said the Chief Minister thought of himself as a very clever person who can cheat everyone.
He said the Congress was ready to face the elections even if they were to be held tomorrow. He asked the Chief Minister about the federal front that he proposed and alleged that he was getting close to the Mr Modi and the BJP.