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Rahul alleges Jaitley threatened him on farm laws, BJP rubbishes charge
The Centre in June 2020 promulgated three ordinances related to agricultural reforms, which got President’s assent in September.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that former finance minister Arun Jaitley had threatened him to not speak against the farm laws else he would face action, a charge rubbished by the BJP as “fake news” and asked him to stick to facts instead.
The Centre in June 2020 promulgated three ordinances related to agricultural reforms, which got President’s assent in September. However, the Centre had to repeal the contentious farm laws in November 2021 following widespread protests by farmers.
Rohan Jaitley, son of the former Union minister, also slammed Rahul over his remarks, asking the Congress leader to “let the departed Rest in Peace”.
Addressing Congress’ annual legal conclave at the Vigyan Bhawan, Rahul said: “I remember when I was fighting the farm laws — he’s not here anymore, so I really shouldn’t say it, but I will — Arun Jaitley ji was sent to me to threaten me.”
Rahul went on to add: “He said to me, ‘If you carry on down this path, opposing the government and fighting us on the farm laws, we will have to take action against you. I looked at him in the face and said, I think you don’t know or have an idea who you’re talking to. Because, we are Congress people, and we’re not cowards. We never bend; the superpower British couldn’t bend us and who the hell are you?”
The BJP hit back at Rahul, saying the farm laws were brought in 2020 while Jaitley passed away in 2019 and asked the Congress leader to stick to facts instead of rewriting timelines to “suit narratives”.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote on X: “Fake News Alert. Rahul Gandhi claims that Arun Jaitley approached him to water down his opposition to the 2020 farm laws. Let’s set the record straight -- Arun Jaitley ji passed away on August, 24 2019. The draft Farm Bills were brought to the Union Cabinet on June 3, 2020. The laws were enacted in September 2020,” he said.
“To suggest Arun Jaitley ji approached him for anything at all is factually incorrect and misleading,” he said.
No BJP leader threatened us: SAD leader Naresh Gujral
Reacting to Rahul’s statement, former MP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Naresh Gujral said: “The SAD was part of the NDA, and we left them on the issue of the farm laws. No BJP leader threatened us, forget about Arun Jaitley, who was a thorough gentleman. So when the leader of Opposition speaks like this, he only damages his own credibility. I would urge him to be more careful in the future.”
“I am truly shocked and very pained to hear about what Rahul has to say about my late dear and close friend Arun Jaitley ji. The whole world knows that he was a true democrat. Everybody knows he was a gentleman who would never use this kind of threat or this kind of dialogue. When Rahul says things like that, he only hurts his own credibility,” Gujral said.
