New Delhi, Dec 23 As Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi reiterated his allegations of "vote chori" during his Germany visit, the BJP and the Shiv Sena reacted sharply, saying that the statements were part of a larger conspiracy.
The BJP alleged that Rahul Gandhi's statements reflect a pattern he repeatedly follows during his foreign visits.
During his visit to Germany, Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for India was fundamentally flawed and destined to fail. He also alleged that India has effectively ceded its manufacturing and production base to China.
The Congress leader launched a fierce attack on the ruling party, repeating his charge of "vote chori" and claiming that the country is witnessing a "full-scale assault on the institutional framework".
Reacting strongly to Gandhi's remarks, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari told IANS, "The country starts laughing sarcastically the moment it hears Rahul Gandhi's name. Many of his statements cause great distress to the people of the country. In my view, Rahul Gandhi's situation is like making holes in the very plate from which one eats. When someone goes abroad and speaks ill of India, serious questions arise about their commitment to the country. Either he is doing this under some conspiracy, or he is doing it out of ignorance and foolishness."
BJP National Spokesperson Shazia Ilmi also came down heavily on the Congress leader.
Speaking to IANS, she said, "How shameful it is that our LoP Rahul Gandhi is praising China and admiring it, when he is the same person who once called the Indian economy a 'dead economy'. What could be more shameful than this? This is not a coincidence, it is a pattern."
She further alleged a larger international link behind Rahul Gandhi's foreign engagements.
"Since 2014, Rahul Gandhi has gone on 247 foreign trips. Some are described as personal, but there is an entire George Soros ecosystem involved. George Soros has openly stated that Prime Minister Modi should be removed from power, which amounts to an attack on the country's democratic process. Rahul Gandhi meets people connected to this ecosystem and supports such individuals," Ilmi claimed.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also criticised Gandhi's remarks, saying that raising domestic issues on foreign soil was inappropriate.
"You are free to raise your voice as loudly as you want on India's internal matters within the country, that is your democratic right. But you should not go on foreign soil and make anti-India statements," Nirupam told IANS.
BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said Rahul Gandhi resorts to such tactics after electoral setbacks.
"Whenever he faces a crushing defeat, like in Bihar, the country knows the reason behind it. The BJP works dedicatedly for the people, staying among them. In contrast, Congress workers are loyal only to the Gandhi family, not the public. To hide defeats and malign India, he goes abroad spreading lies," he told IANS.
The Congress, however, strongly defended Rahul Gandhi and rejected the BJP's criticism, asserting that the issues raised by him are evident to the world.
Congress leader Pawan Khera, speaking to IANS, said that there was nothing objectionable in Rahul Gandhi's remarks. "Isn't the whole world seeing what is happening here? Everyone knows what is going on. Our ideological differences with the BJP are not hidden from anyone. We highlight them on every platform," he said.
Khera further added, "We are talking about how China has taken over the entire manufacturing sector, directly affecting India's unemployed youth. Is raising this issue wrong? Why does the BJP get agitated when we discuss the challenges faced by India's unemployed youth? We will continue to raise their voices."
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