NEW DELHI: At least a thousand sedition cases will be lodged by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam on Monday against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his tweet saying "India exists from Gujarat to West Bengal" thereby conceding to Chinese demand of Arunachal Pradesh, top sources revealed to ANI.
The Wayanad MP, in a tweet on February 10, had said that there is a strength in our Union.
"There is strength in our Union. Our Union of Cultures. Our Union of Diversity. Our Union of Languages. Our Union of People. Our Union of States," Rahul Gandhi had said.
In the same tweet, he had further mentioned that this union from "Gujarat to West Bengal". Following the tweet, Chief Ministers of Assam, Tripura and Manipur pointed out that the Congress leader missed mentioning the northeast.
"From Kashmir to Kerala. From Gujarat to West Bengal. India is beautiful in all its colours. Don't insult the spirit of India," Rahul Gandhi had said.
The sources say that Rahul Gandhi deliberately ignored the northeast and thereby conceded to the demand of the Chinese for Arunachal Pradesh.
On February 10, taking a dig at the Congress leader, Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "India is far beyond just a union. We are a proud Nation. Bharat cannot be held hostage to your tukde tukde philosophy. What is your problem with Nation, Nationality and Nationalism? And hello- beyond Bengal, we North east exist."
Launching a blistering attack on the Wayanad MP, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said that his ignorance is the reason for Congress' wipe out from the region.
"In order to preach, Mr. Rahul Gandhi has forgotten our beautiful North Eastern states. Just like his great grandfather, he excluded our region? We are also a proud part of India. Your ignorance is the reason of your party's total wipe out from Northeast," Tripura Chief Minister said.
In the poll-bound state of Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that he is baffled over the ignorance by a senior Congress leader of the region and questioned how the party is asking the people of the state to vote for them in the upcoming Assembly elections.
"It baffles me when a senior @INCIndia leader ignores the existence of North East India in their statements. When the existence of this region is not even acknowledged, how is Congress asking for votes to the people of Manipur for the upcoming election? Who's dividing the Nation?" Manipur Chief Minister had tweeted.
Certainly, it was not only the Chief Ministers of the northeastern state who did not receive Rahul Gandhi's remark well. Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik also called Gandhi's remark the "real insult" and said that the Congress has and will continue to ignore the northeastern states.
"The real insult is Rahul Gandhi completely ignoring the states of North-East India even in his criticisms. This reflects Congress Party's true intent. They have and will always neglect the people of North-East!" she had tweeted.
Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, BJP's National General Secretary (Organization) BL Santosh said, "For @INCIndia & its leader, the 7 sisters of North East are not even worth mentioning
The filing of the sedition case against the Congress leader comes at a time when Congress' student wing has launched protests against the Assam Chief Minister for his remark against Rahul Gandhi asking whether the BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the "son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi".
Addressing a rally in Uttarakhand, the Assam Chief Minister recently criticised Rahul Gandhi and said, "He seeks proof from our Army of the surgical strike, did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?"
Following the incident, Congress had filed complaints against Sarma across the country and even demanded him to be immediately sacked from the post.
The Congress' demand also resonated with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who was once a bitter critic of the grand old party. (ANI)