Rahul justified terrorism, says BJP

NEW DELHI: The BJP today accused Rahul Gandhi of belittling India in his address at an event in Germany, alleging that the Congress president justified terrorism and “lied through his teeth” to attack the Modi government.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra sought explanation from the Congress chief on his comments on a range of issues, claiming that he presented India in a bad light by allegedly blaming its culture for violence against women.

Addressing a gathering at the Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg yesterday, Gandhi had cited the example of Islamic State to say that exclusion of a large number of people from the development process could lead to the creation of terrorist groups in the world.

He then accused the BJP government of excluding tribals, Dalits and minorities from the development narrative and “this could be a dangerous thing”.  Hitting back, Patra said, “Rahul Gandhi left no opportunity to belittle India and to present it in a bad light. We need explanations from you.”  Gandhi has tried to justify terrorism and give justification for IS, he said. “There cannot be anything more frightening and worrying,” he told reporters. The BJP spokesperson said Gandhi’s submission was that minorities in India would “sell their soul” to IS if jobs are not available for them, and this amounted to “denigrating” the community.

Gandhi has a poor opinion of India, he said, adding the Congress chief harped on about China even though, he claimed, India had become one of the leading countries in the world under the Modi government.  “His speech was full of lies and deception,” Patra alleged, wondering if the figures Gandhi cited of China producing 50 jobs every 24 hours compared to 44 in India, were “made in 10 Janpath”.  The Congress chief’s mother Sonia Gandhi stays in 10 Janpath.

“You have no data and you do no preparation,” Patra said of Gandhi.  The BJP leader said Sonia Gandhi was the Congress chief for over 19 years and ruled India as a “proxy prime minister” for 10 years. “Wasn’t this Indian culture which helped her reach the top? Rahul and Sonia Gandhi should come out and explain as to how they can point fingers at this great Indian culture,” he said, seeking Gandhi’s apology for his response on the issue of woman safety in India.

The Congress chief “lied through his teeth” in accusing the Modi government of striking down a law on atrocities against Dalits and tribals, Patra said, pointing out that Parliament had in fact made the legislation more stringent by passing an amendment in its latest session.  Under the Congress-led UPA government, the Right to Food law was implemented in only 11 states while the BJP-led NDA dispensation has brought it in force in all 36 states and UTs of the country, he said.

The rural employment scheme (MNREGA) became a “monumental success” under the current government from a “monument to failure” it was under the UPA, he claimed, adding that over 56 per cent of their workforces are women, its highest figure. Beneficiaries of over 431 government’s schemes are getting money amounting to over Rs 4 lakh crore credited directly to their bank accounts, resulting in saving of Rs 90 crore, which used to “pocketed” by Congress leaders earlier, he said. Patra also cited praised by international bodies of reform measures undertaken by the Modi government to rebut Gandhi’s charges. PTI