New Delhi [India], April 10 : Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday slammed former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and said that the latter falls to new depths with each passing day to demonstrate his true character and loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a tweet, Jairam Ramesh said, "With every passing day, Ghulam Nabi Azad falls to new depths to demonstrate his true character and his loyalty to Mr Modi. His contemptible statements on the Congress leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant. I can only say that he is PATHETIC."
The Congress leaders' reaction comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday demanded answers from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the allegations made by Azad that he meets "undesirable businessmen" during foreign tours.
While talking to the reporters, Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Ghulam Nabi Azad made serious allegations that whenever Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, he meets 'undesirable businessmen'... With whom did Rahul Gandhi meet? What is the agenda? Is Rahul Gandhi working with anti-India businessmen to weaken the country?"
Notably, Azad resigned from Congress over a difference of opinion with Congress leadership mainly Rahul Gandhi. He also led the 'G23' grouping which had demanded reforms in the party including independent internal elections.
His critics in Congress had accused Azad of working closely with the BJP to destabilize Congress. Speaking to , he rubbished the allegation calling it immature, stupid and childish.
He said, "That is stupid. If G23 was the spokesperson of the BJP, why they are made MPs by Congress? Why have they made them MPs, general secretaries and office bearers? I'm the only one who formed the party. The rest of the people are still there. It is an ill-conceived, immature and childish allegation."
After quitting Congress, Azad formed his own political outfit called Democratic Progressive Azad Party in his home state of Jammu & Kashmir and has now penned a book titled 'Azaad: An Autobiography', in which the former Congress veteran wrote on his working relations with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others. He also highlights incidents, events and Congress mismanagement.
He also said that he holds nothing against Congress and its ideology.
"I must say that having been in Congress since childhood, I don't want to expose and totally want to demolish Congress party. I may have some differences with leadership, I have no differences with Congress party or Congress ideology; two things one is Congress ideology and one is previous Congress leadership and one is present leadership. I have no difference of opinion with Congress ideology, no difference of opinion with earlier Congress leadership, of course here and there in my book I mentioned what went wrong during Nehru's time, Indiraji's time, what has gone wrong during Rajiv's time but I also said they were tall leaders."
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