From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Practice of taking national politics outside the country was started by none other than the one who gave you a ministerial berth, the Congress has said hitting back at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who was critical of Rahul Gandhi for his recent remarks in the US.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh’s attack came after Jaishankar slammed Rahul for his “habit” of criticising India abroad and said taking national politics out of the country is not in the nation’s interest.
To a question at a press conference on Rahul Gandhi’s strong remarks made in the United States against the Narendra Modi government, Jaishankar said he does not have a problem with whatever is done within India, but asserted that taking internal issues aboard is not appropriate.
In an apparent swipe at Prime Minister Modi, Ramesh said on Twitter: “The man who started the practice of taking national politics outside the country is none other than the man who gave you (Jaishankar) your ministerial position. You know it, but you cannot acknowledge it.”
Asked about Jaishankar’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi, Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given an “old script” to the External Affairs Minister and he should read a new one.
“The prime minister has made fun of previous governments and made light of the country’s over 70-year-old history. What Rahul Gandhi has said is only the truth that a planned systematic attack on our constitutional bodies is happening,” Surjewala said at a press conference here.
In his remarks at the presser, Jaishankar said, “Rahul Gandhi has a habit of criticising the country and making comments on our politics whenever he goes abroad. The world is looking at us and what is it seeing? Elections are held in the country and sometimes one party wins and at times, the other party wins.” He also exuded confidence that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will retain power in next year’s parliamentary polls as he said, “2024 ka result toh wohi hoga, humein pata hai (we know what will happen in 2024).”
“If you see all the narratives (against the government), they are made within the country. If a narrative does not work or is less effective, then it is taken abroad. They expect that the outside support will work in India,” the External Affairs Minister said.
Jaishankar said taking national politics abroad will not enhance Rahul Gandhi’s credibility.
A closer look at the war of words between the BJP and the Congress reveals that the Modi government is feeling threatened by the rising popularity of Rahul Gandhi whose recent US visit was followed keenly at the social media platforms where videos of the Congress leader’s several interactions with Indian diaspora and prominent members of US academic and business fraternity went viral.
Sources said that ministers and top BJP leaders have been asked to attack Rahul Gandhi at not only social media platforms but also in their interactions with the media fraternity.
