NEW DELHI, AUG 14 (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday tore into Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the comments made by him on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s foreign policy are of “extremely low standard” and “condemnable”.
He also said Gandhi’s remarks undermine the dignity of the office of the leader of the opposition (LoP).
In his remarks here, the senior BJP leader said he considers “such a conduct to be a sign of a serious threat to a healthy democracy in India”.
The Union minister’s criticism comes a day after Gandhi, while addressing the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention here, referred to the BJP-RSS as a “bunch of jokers” who have no understanding of India, and scoffed at Modi’s handling of foreign policy, which he claimed is all about hugging leaders.
Gandhi, 56, is an LoP in the Lok Sabha, and his comments have drawn an acerbic reaction from the ruling party.
“The comments made by Rahul Gandhi on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s foreign policy are not only of extremely low standard and condemnable, but also personally deeply distressing to me,” Singh said.
“Throughout my long political career, I have never seen any Leader of the Opposition, whether Sushma ji or Arun Jaitley ji, or Atal ji and Advani ji, and even during the tenure of the government led by Atal ji, when Dr Manmohan Singh ji and Sonia Gandhi ji were there (as LOP) … and such undignified conduct was unimaginable,” he said.
Singh said such conduct, as displayed by Gandhi, is a “sign of a serious threat to a healthy democracy” in the country.
“No matter how much frustration Rahul Gandhi may harbour towards the prime minister, such uncivil remarks are completely unacceptable, especially when Modi ji as a Prime Minister has enhanced India’s prestige on the international stage and paved the way for a developed India,” the defence minister said. Prime Minister Modi has worked with “total dedication over the years; he did not take even a single day off,” Singh said.
“Such an uncivil remark directed at a leader of this stature deeply hurts and pains every Indian,” he added.
“I would also like to address the Congress party, I would humbly request the Congress party, to consider that after such language and conduct, can they claim in any way the legacy of towering figures such Lal, Bal, Pal to Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Subhas Babu, Rajendra Babu, and from Shastri ji and Narasimha Rao ji to Pranab Mukherjee ji,” the senior BJP leader asked.
“I can say that through this conduct, Rahul Gandhi has not only insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi but has also sullied India’s international repute, and utterly undermined the dignity of the office of the Leader of the Opposition. I cannot even imagine that someone bearing the name ‘Gandhi’ could ever make such a shameful statement,” he said.