The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp rebuttal against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday, following her recent critique of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. In a series of statements, party leaders challenged Gandhi to reassess her perspective on the country’s development over the past 12 years, suggesting that her criticisms do not reflect the current reality of India’s economic and global standing.
Addressing the media, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh invited the senior Congress leader to set aside what he described as "Italian lenses" to view India’s progress more clearly. Chugh highlighted the government’s "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas" motto and pointed to India’s 7.8 percent GDP growth rate as evidence of the nation’s ascent as a global power. He argued that the current administration’s achievements speak for themselves and urged Gandhi to acknowledge these advancements.
The criticism was largely sparked by an interview Gandhi gave to the news outlet The Hindu, conducted ahead of the launch of her upcoming memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love. In the interview, she alleged that the past 12 years had inflicted significant damage on India’s democratic fabric and institutions. Gandhi further suggested that restoring the nation's systems would be a time-consuming process even after the end of the current government's tenure, noting that she believes citizens are beginning to recognise this purported damage.
Beyond the immediate political discourse, the BJP also targeted Gandhi over her remarks concerning the Emergency, which was imposed on June 25, 1975. During the interview, Gandhi stated that the suspension of democratic rights and habeas corpus during that period had been implemented constitutionally. She also reflected on the era, noting that she could retrospectively see that Indira Gandhi had been struggling with deteriorating circumstances, including violent protests and organised unrest.
The BJP’s response went further, with party leaders questioning the contents of Gandhi’s forthcoming book. Chugh challenged the Congress leader to address several controversial historical events during her party's previous terms in power, including the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the Bhopal gas tragedy. Furthermore, he raised questions regarding her silence on the deaths of Indian soldiers and referenced the 2008 Batla House encounter, asking why she had allegedly expressed grief after a terrorist was killed.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also joined the attack, accusing Gandhi of focusing on "vote-bank politics." Bhandari specifically criticized her for her past comments regarding the Batla House incident and the Babri Masjid, asserting that these positions reveal an anti-religious stance. He maintained that such political strategies would continue to result in electoral losses for the Congress party.
Chugh added that he believes Gandhi is "unable to digest" the rise of Sanatan values under the leadership of the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). As the political debate intensifies surrounding the upcoming memoir and the competing narratives of India’s democratic health, the BJP has signaled its intent to keep the focus on the historical record of the Congress party and the economic track record of the incumbent government.
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