Shah links agitation with Cong’s ‘appeasement politics’

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah linked Congress leaders’ protest in black clothes to the party’s “appeasement” politics, claiming it was to convey its opposition to the Ram temple foundation laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this day in 2020.

Everybody saw protests from Congress leaders of late in regular clothes but they especially chose black clothes for Friday agitation as Modi peacefully resolved an over 550-year dispute which was associated with the faith of crores of people, he told reporters.

As the opposition party cannot dare speak openly against the issue, it has given a hidden message of its stand against the temple's foundation-stone laying as well as construction, he said. “I clearly believe that the Congress has chosen August 5 for its strong protests in black clothes to show its opposition over the temple issue,” he said.

The Congress is conveying its opposition to the temple construction and the issues of ED action and price rise are only excuses, he claimed, adding as the opposition party could not have openly expressed its opposition to the temple, it has tried to give a hidden message.

While the male Congress MPs were seen sporting black kurtas, shirts, scarves, and headgears, the women leaders also wore black with elan led by party chief Sonia Gandhi who wore a printed crisp saree with a black border and a black blouse. The most striking sartorial choice was by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Malikarjun Kharge, who wore a black kurta, a black turban and a white dhoti, turning heads during the Congress protest.

About the idea of wearing black, Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi told PTI, “during the debate on price rise in Parliament, BJP members said they can't see inflation, so today by wearing black we are expressing the anger our people are feeling, we are expressing that they (government) open their eyes to the reality of India today.”

“Even the RBI Governor has conceded that there is high inflation but the BJP MPs and the finance minister have lied to people of India on the floor of the House that there is no inflation,” he said.

Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was a desperate attempt to “divert, distract, polarise and give a malicious twist” to its democratic demonstrations against price rise. “It’s only a sick mind which can produce such bogus arguments. Clearly the protests have hit home!”