The BJP on Sunday dismissed the INDIA bloc rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan as a “chaotic, unruly spectacle” and attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks questioning the legitimacy of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, accusing him of speaking like the “son of a Mughal emperor”.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party spokesperson Sambit Patra said Gandhi's remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election reflected an attitude of entitlement.
“This is the way children of a Mughal emperor speak. This Hindustan does not belong to your 'abbujan' (father). It belongs to Hindustanis,” Patra said.
Gandhi had targeted Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the INDIA bloc's ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally on Sunday, held as part of the Opposition's campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
“Amit Shah said Narendra Modi is not going anywhere. I would tell you Narendra Modi cannot go anywhere; even if he wants to go, we will not let him,” Gandhi had said, warning that the two leaders would face legal action and should not think they could escape the law.
Responding to Gandhi's remarks, Patra said Modi would not go anywhere as long as the Congress leader continued manufacturing “non-issues” in an attempt to create anarchy.
The BJP spokesperson also sought to play down the INDIA bloc's turnout at Ramlila Maidan, claiming that Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, had projected a gathering of 10 lakh people, but only a “handful” had turned up.
Patra alleged that the crowd shown at the venue was the result of “trick photography” and took a dig at Gandhi, saying no one could become prime minister through tricks.
“Rahul Gandhi said it was 'shiv ki baraat'. It was not shiv ki baraat. It was a chaotic, unruly spectacle,” he said.
Patra also criticised Gandhi for calling the 2024 Lok Sabha election “illegal” and claiming that neither Modi nor Shah would have reached their current positions otherwise.
(With inputs from PTI)
