Why no action against BJP leader over hateful remarks on Rahul, questions Kharge
Srinagar, Sep 21 : Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday wondered why no action had been taken by the party against a leader who made hateful remarks about Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Recently, a Delhi BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah, in a video, was purportedly heard saying that Rahul Gandhi would meet the same fate as his grandmother -- late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Marwah was apparently upset over the remarks made by the Congress MP on reservations which made him issue what the Congress dubbed, an open threat.
Addressing a press conference here, Kharge condemned the remarks, including the one made by a Shiv Sena (ruling ally of the BJP in Maharashtra) legislator, Sanjay Gaikwad, who announced cash reward for chopping off Rahul Gandhi's tongue.
"Their (BJP) leaders hurl abuses at the Gandhi family. Why is not action taken against them? These leaders have the approval of the BJP's top brass. Who among them has given so much sacrifice as the Congress? Indira Gandhi paid with her life to keep the country together and then Rajiv Gandhi also made the supreme sacrifice. Has anyone among them paid a sacrifice like this?" the Congress chief questioned.
He also criticised the BJP for "lying day in and day out".
"They say that we are against reservations. If it is our national policy to support reservations... how can we oppose it in J&K? The BJP is misleading the voters," Kharge said.
The Congress President also recalled the seven guarantees made by the party in its manifesto.
"Our first priority is to get statehood back to J&K. We will fight for it and get it back. We will give Rs 25 lakh healthcare to every family, we will ensure healthcare within less than 30 km, mobile clinics at every tehsil and a super specialty hospital in every district.
"We will give Rs 3,000 per month to every poor household, interest-free loan of Rs 5 lakh to every self-help group. We will immediately fill one lakh vacant government posts and give more employment to youth," Kharge said.
Further criticising the BJP, the Congress chief said: "They said they will give 5 lakh jobs to youth. They ruled J&K with a Lt Governor enjoying absolute power. Why didn't they provide those 5 lakh jobs. Their smart city project has come to a halt. BJP has no agenda."
Saying that "Kashmiri Pandits have a right to return to their home", Kharge mentioned that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had started a rehabilitation scheme for them.
"We will implement the scheme in its right earnest," he said.
Kharge also said that the practice of 'Darbar Move', six monthly shuttling of government offices between Srinagar and Jammu will be restored if the Congress-National Conference alliance comes to power.
The Congress chief said that forming an alliance with the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir was not a compulsion but an extension of the party's policy to take out BJP from power.