New Delhi, Jan 26 Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Monday said that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is the “need of the country”, asserting that no other leader confronts Prime Minister Narendra Modi the way he does.
His remarks came after former Union Minister Shakeel Ahmad, who resigned from the Congress in November 2025, launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, calling him “darpok” (coward) and insecure.
Speaking to IANS, Rashid Alvi said, “Rahul Gandhi is the need of the country. He is the leader with the largest mass following within the Congress. Without him, the Congress cannot remain the Congress. People may have different opinions about him, but the manner in which Rahul Gandhi confronts Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unmatched in the country. No other leader is doing this.”
Alvi further accused the BJP of consistently blaming the Congress and attempting to corner it on communal issues.
“I am saying this clearly -- the BJP always blames the Congress. Whenever the name of a Muslim comes up, the Congress is accused of appeasement. This creates a sense of fear not only within the Congress but also among all secular parties in the country,” he said.
He added that secular parties are not against Muslims but often hesitate to speak openly due to the BJP’s allegations.
“They do not want to give the BJP an opportunity to accuse them of appeasement. But who suffers because of this? It is the Muslims who suffer. The BJP abuses them, and others remain silent,” Alvi told IANS.
Commenting on the issue of Vande Mataram, Rashid Alvi said there was no harm in people singing it voluntarily.
“If the Indian government and the Prime Minister want to sing Vande Mataram on its 150th anniversary, it is their right. Anyone in India who wishes to sing it has the right to do so. However, it cannot be forced upon anyone,” he said.
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