DODDABALLAPURA: Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Smriti Irani on Saturday levelled sedition charges against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has embarked on the party’s ambitious ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir, saying, “Rahul has said his fight is now against the Indian state, which has allegedly been using investigative agencies to nail the Opposition.”
Rahul had said in Kanniyakumari, “You know the role of CBI, ED and Income Tax Department. Now, the fight is not between one political party and another. It is about the structure of the Indian state. The Opposition and everybody understands this.”
Irani, taking part in the Janaspandana yatra here organised by BJP to celebrate three years of the party government in power, said, “With all seriousness, I am making this charge of ‘Rashtra Droh’ (sedition), as I am shocked at Rahul’s statement that he is fighting against the Indian state. You have been waging a war against India for your hunger for power.”
The Amethi MP, making an indirect reference to Kanhaiya Kumar, criticised Rahul for being in the company of people who allegedly chanted anti-India slogans. “Rahul is on his way to unite India, but he should answer first who dared to break India,” she added.
She questioned as to why Congress, which was an alliance partner in the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government, did not condemn the beautification of terrorist Yakub Memon’s grave with marble tiles in Mumbai. Attacking the Gandhi family, she said that when the Centre was fighting the Covid pandemic and succeeded in developing an indigenous vaccine, the family was spreading lies by advising people not to take the vaccines. She also slammed Congress supporters for allegedly using derogatory remarks against President Droupadi Murmu.
She said Congress could not digest the placing of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue on Kartavya Path in New Delhi, as the party did not issue any statement favouring the move. “Rahul did not pay homage to the statue of Swami Vivekananda at Kanniyakumari as the latter was not a member of his family’s followers. He also removed photos of the country’s first deputy prime minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from its campaign, she added.