SRINAGAR: Several Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday hit out at Ghulam Nabi Azad over his tirade against Rahul Gandhi, saying he should have also spoken about the four decades of power he enjoyed due to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
"Azad's criticism is a manifestation of treachery and the highest form of ungratefulness towards the Nehru-Gandhi family on his part. Former Congress LOP in Rajya Sabha should also have counted 'out of turn' promotions, favours and positions both (official and organisational) he enjoyed during his four decades in power due to Nehru-Gandhi family's blessings and trust reposed in him," Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Saifuddin Soz and Tariq Hameed Karra said in a joint statement here.
They were reacting to Azad's interviews appearing on different media channels in the backdrop of his book launch event in Delhi recently.
"Hailing from a remote area of Doda district, Azad was recommended by late Mufti Mohd Sayeed to Madam Indira Gandhi, who made him a youth leader without any political background or fan following.
"Then he (Azad) was rewarded with party ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Maharashtra where Madam Gandhi herself campaigned and ensured his victory by a thumping majority, with the result he made his entry in Lok Sabha for the first time.
"Since then, the Nehru-Gandhi family, whom Azad is now targeting, made a sea of opportunities available for him. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha many times, subsequently made the Union minister a number of times without facing elections, which he should also count while speaking on the Gandhi family," the statement stated.
Azad had recently said that Rahul Gandhi was the primary reason why he and many others were no longer in the Congress and claimed that one has to be "spineless" to remain in the grand old party.
He further claimed that it was not in the hands of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi or even Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to ensure his return to the party fold even if they wanted.
The Congress leaders said Azad was defaming the party to create confusion among the masses in view of the Gandhi scion's constructive role and the appreciation he was receiving for "fighting the battle against crony capitalism and organized loot of the nation's wealth on the part of the Narendra Modi government".