HYDERABAD: Accusing the BJP of deliberately misrepresenting Rahul Gandhi’s remarks to portray him as “anti-Dalit”, Congress working president T Jayaprakash Reddy on Thursday said that saffron party leaders have no moral right to level such allegations.
Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan here, he said: “The BJP and its affiliated organisations had recently tried to create an anti-Dalit image for Rahul Gandhi.”
Referring to “some BJP-affiliated organisations performing purification rituals” after AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to Uttarakhand, he said: “Rahul Gandhi had questioned such conduct. He advised the BJP and its affiliated organisations against indulging in such practices. But the BJP is intentionally giving a distorted interpretation of Rahul Gandhi’s comments and using them for political propaganda.”
The former Sangareddy MLA, who is popularly known as Jagga Reddy, said that Rahul Gandhi was the “boss” of the Congress but neither he nor his family members have any arrogance.
“In contrast, the BJP functions with arrogance, and it routinely opposes and works against the Congress and its leaders,” he added.
“Whenever Rahul Gandhi walks alongside Mallikarjun Kharge, he lends support to him,” Jagga Reddy said, citing this as an example of Rahul Gandhi’s respect for Kharge.
Jagga Reddy also recalled that how the BJP had appointed Bangaru Laxman as its national president but later removed him, alleging that such decisions reflected the BJP’s approach towards Dalit leaders.