Jaipur, June 25 After Home Minister Amit Shah's 'dynasty jibe' on the Congress, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, here on Thursday, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah of hijacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
The tweet war has triggered between the two leaders over Emergency, which was imposed over 45 years ago by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
To attack the BJP duo, Gehlot dragged former BJP president L.K. Advani into the picture. "Shah along with Modi has high-jacked the BJP and the NDA government with no breather for other leaders. They are not fit to question democratic values of the Congress and the CWC. As Advani once said in 2015 'forces that can crush democracy are stronger', I don't have the confidence it (Emergency) can't happen again," Gehlot said.
Firing another tweet, Gehlot said, "I am not surprised to see that out of all opposition parties, Modi and Shah are worried only about the Congress. Their insecurity and fear are evident because everyone knows, including Shah, that only the Congress under the leadership of HCP Soniaji and Rahulji have the courage and strength to take on the tyranny of the current regime."
Earlier, in a series of tweets Shah had said, "As one of India's opposition parties, the Congress needs to ask itself: Why does the Emergency mindset remain? Why are leaders who don't belong to 1 dynasty unable to speak up? Why are leaders getting frustrated in the Congress? Else, their disconnect with people will keep widening.".
In another tweet he said, "Due to the efforts of lakhs of people, the Emergency was lifted. Democracy was restored in India, but it remained absent in the Congress. The interests of one family prevailed over party interests and national interests. This sorry state of affairs thrives in today's Congress too!"
In response, Gehlot tweeted, "It's no secret that for the last three decades no one from the Gandhi family has held any position of power. They have always encouraged & empowered the cadre and ground workers of the Congress, like me, and if at all we are disconnected with the public, why is Shah so worried?"
"It's the Congress which has built, protected and nourished the democracy of this nation. India is the only robustly functioning and flourishing democracy in the South Asian region. Thanks to the magnanimous role played by the Congress in the 70 years of history of this Nation."
Gehlot went on to add, "Sacrifice is inherent in the Congress DNA - Right from Nehru till date. Late Indiraji sacrificed her life for the Nation and her contribution in creating Bangladesh a new nation will always remain India's greatest diplomatic victory and will be remembered for generations to come."
Remembering the contributions of Rajiv Gandhi, Gehlot wrote, "Late Rajivji also laid his life for this great nation - and his contributions are historical milestones that continue to make this nation still stronger like 73rd and 74th Amendments - Panchayati Raj and Right of franchise for youth at the age of 18. This is their contribution to the democracy of this Country."
Taking on the BJP, the Rajasthan Chief Minister said, "It has merely been 6 years of the BJP and we can see how they have dismantled the democratic, ethnic and social fabric of this nation. May we know why there is no one beyond Modi-Shah in the BJP? It's shocking that apart from 3/4 Ministers, public doesn't even know who all are there in Modi's cabinet."
( With inputs from IANS )