Ready to take over as Cong president: Rahul
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday he was ready to take over as president of the Congress but it was up to the party to elect him to the post.
The Congress vice president made the comments at the University of California, Berkeley, where he also took a broad swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic policies, including the scrapping of high-value banknotes and the “hasty” rollout of a goods and services tax (GST).
He accused the government of pursuing divisive politics and doing little to stop vigilante violence and attacks on activists and journalists. Without naming him, Gandhi accused Modi of controlling “a BJP machine” of 1,000 people to abuse him online.
Asked if he was ready to take on “an executive role” in the party, Gandhi – whose elevation as Congress president is long awaited – said he was “absolutely ready to do that”.
Somewhere around 2012, a certain arrogance crept into the Congress party and it stopped having conversations with the people RAHUL GANDHI, during an event at University of California, Berkeley
NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted between the BJP and the Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the students of University of California, Berkeley, on Tuesday.
The BJP accused Gandhi of “trying to belittle” the PM on foreign soil while the Congress hit back, holding Modi guilty of insulting India abroad.
“The fact that he chose to belittle the Prime Minister is not surprising, in fact expected,” BJP leader and information and broadcasting minister Smriti Irani told reporters. “After failing to connect with the people of India, Mr Gandhi chooses a platform of convenience for beating his political opponents.”
However, the Congress defended Gandhi for his speech and attacked Irani for being an “apologist” for Modi.
“It is the present Prime Minister who is guilty of insulting India on foreign soil. It is wrong to accuse Rahul Gandhi of having said anything which is belittling. It again betrays the streak of intolerance and criticism by the BJP and the present government,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters.
He said that the Prime Minister, during his first foreign visit, had called India corrupt, saying it was recognised in the world for carrying “a begging bowl in its hand” and that the citizens were ashamed of acknowledging themselves as Indian on foreign soil. The 47-year-old Gandhi arrived in the US on Monday for a two-week tour.
Irani criticised The Congress V-P for his “public proclamation” that the Congress become arrogant in 2012. It was a reflection on his mother Sonia Gandhi, who heads the party, and it was a matter for the opposition party to delve into, she said.
But Sharma countered that Gandhi’s remark showed that only a democrat and not an authoritarian will accept the shortcomings.
Irani also took on Gandhi for his remarks that dynasties were common to all political parties. “A failed dynast today chose to speak about his failed political journey in US. Indian democracy gives opportunity to merit and is not beholden to dynasty,” she said.
The minister said the Congress leader’s remarks that dynasts and dynasties were the fulcrum of Indian democracy were an anomaly as she went on point to the modest backgrounds of President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venakaih Naidu and Prime Minister Modi and argued they rose of high offices due to merit.
But Sharma said Gandhi rightly defended dynasties in the country. “When it comes to the Nehru-Gandhi family, there have been five generations in the service of the country. For 32 years there is no member of the Nehru-Gandhi family who has accepted or taken oath of office,” he said. Sharma maintained that Gandhi had criticised the government and the Prime Minister and not the nation, which is a feature of democracy and should not be objected to.
“The statements and issues raised by the I&B minister displays her ignorance of history and her eagerness to be an apologist for a Prime Minister who has betrayed the country.”
THE 47YEAROLD GANDHI ARRIVED IN THE US ON MONDAY FOR A TWOWEEK TOUR