'A stands for...': BJP mocks Rahul Gandhi's answer about INDIA bloc's name
BJP MP Sambit Patra says someone asked Rahul Gandhi in the US about the full form of ‘A’ in the INDIA bloc, to which he took some time to answer.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday mocked Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over Opposition's INDIA bloc's name.
At a press conference, BJP MP Sambit Patra says someone in the US asked Rahul Gandhi about the full form of ‘A’ in the INDIA bloc, to which he took some time to answer.
“Someone asked him (Rahul Gandhi) if it is INDIA Alliance then what does the 'A' stand for. After thinking for some time, Rahul Gandhi remembered that it stands for ‘Alliance’…” Sambit Patra said at the press conference.
"Rahul Gandhi thought for a while before answering because he was confused if the 'A' stands for Appeasement, Apraadh (crime) or Arrogance. A for 'Apraadh', there is TMC's apraadh (crime) in Bengal, 'A' for appeasement, Congress' Appeasement in Himachal Pradesh and 'A' for Arrogance of the Congress and its alliance parties who drag the institution of CJI in politics. They have the arrogance of dragging Ganesh festival into politics..."
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The BJP has criticised Rahul Gandhi's statements during his trip to the United States.
The party has accused him of standing with forces conspiring to divide the country, making anti-national statements and hurting India’s dignity with his comments during his US trip.
In a post on X, Home minister Amit Shah said that Gandhi’s statements lay bare the Congress’s politics of causing rifts along the lines of regionalism, religion, and linguistic differences.
“Whether it is supporting the JKNC’s anti-national and anti-reservation agenda in J&K or making anti-India statements on foreign platforms, Rahul Gandhi has always threatened the nation’s security and hurt sentiments,” Shah said, referring to Congress’s alliance partner National Conference in poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir and Gandhi’s comments during his four-day trip to the US.
He had also accused Gandhi of speaking about “abolishing reservations”, saying that his statement has once again brought the Congress’s anti-reservation face to the forefront.
Rahul Gandhi's clarification
On his part, Gandhi issued a clarification regarding his remarks on “ending reservation”, saying his comments were “misinterpreted”. The Leader of the Opposition was facing backlash for saying the Congress party would “end reservation” when India is a fair place.