HUBBALLI: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi has ripped apart AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge for his “opium-induced sleep” jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over incursions in Ladakh by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He indirectly dragged the name of the first prime minister of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru, to attack the Congress party chief.
Joshi cautioned Kharge over the usage of language towards the democratically elected and most-popular prime minister, and retorted that the Congress chief should pay attention to language when criticising somebody in a hurry, that too while speaking about the country’s prime minister.
In a sharp reaction to Kharge’s remark, the BJP leader said, “I don’t want to use such filthy language towards the AICC chief. Since Modi is elected and the popular prime minister of the country, he (Kharge) should understand what kind of language he is using, because he is the national president of the so-called Grand Old Party.”
Indirectly bringing Nehru’s name to question the Congress, Joshi stated, “I will ask who had consumed opium when 34,000 sq km of land was grabbed by China in 1962.”
Further, defending the action of the Modi government, the minister further said, “With all confidence, we are saying that our government has not allowed China to enter Indian territory. Not even an inch of land has been grabbed by anybody.” Despite firm action, such filthy language is being used against the prime minister, which is most condemnable, and he strongly opposes it, he added.
Ridiculing senior Congressman Chidambaram’s remark that the BJP was destroying regional parties, Joshi said they are not destroying any regional party, but strengthening the BJP. “It was the duty of each party to strengthen the BJP’s responsibility. How can Chidambaram expect the BJP to strengthen the DMK? When any party becomes weak, how fair is it to blame the saffron party?” he retorted.