‘Dear Uncle Sam…’: BJP reacts as Pitroda backs Rahul Gandhi amid UK speech row
While Sam Pitroda urged people to “stop promoting and propagating lies” about Rahul Gandhi's speech in London, the Bharatiya Janata Party called the Congress MP “a serial offender”.
The row over Rahul Gandhi's remarks in London has further escalated on social media with Congress leader Sam Pitroda urging people to “stop promoting and propagating lies” about the Congress MP's speech, while the Bharatiya Janata Party called Gandhi “a serial offender”.
In a series of tweets, Pitroda, an ex-adviser to former prime minister Manmohan Singh asked, “What is the sense in launching a well-orchestrated and well-organized personal attack based on lies and misinformation through elected leaders in collaboration with the media?”
He also asked why are some people agitated and “ganged up in promoting lies and attacking” Gandhi.
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“Pls, stop promoting and propagating lies about what @RahulGandhi said in #London. Were you there? Did you see the video? Do you really know what he said? In what context? What was the main message?,” Pitroda asked.
“For clarification pls, note that @RahulGandhi basically said the following: 1. Indian Democracy is Global Public Good. 2.The state of democracy in India is of concern. It is an Indian problem, and we will deal with it. He never invited any foreign countries to help. I was there as an Indian professional with a logical, rational, and open mind, eyes, and ears,” he added.
Hitting him back, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted screenshots of a few news articles and said, “The entire media & nation has seen Rahul Gandhi’s video & how he was asking for action from US,Europe into Indian affairs.”
He alleged that Gandhi sought Nicholas Burn’s intervention too, while Mani Aiyyar sought Pakistani intervention.
“When it comes to undermining national sovereignty , Rahul is a serial offender…,” Poonawalla added.
Another BJP spokesperson Priti Gandhi alleged that the Congress has now unleased Pitroda for damage control.
“Rahul Gandhi's all out attack on India has invited criticism from all quarters. Even the audience at his event openly expressed their displeasure at his anti-national rants. Congress has now unleased Sam Pitroda for damage control. Nothing less than an apology will suffice!!”
Meanwhile, Gandhi's colleague Shashi Tharoor said the Wayanad MP hasn't said anything that requires an apology. “He expressed concern about the state of our democracy and attacks on it by the practices of the ruling government,” Tharoor said.
“This is milder than what PM Narendra Modi has said in foreign countries, he has constantly attacked the Congress party, previous government and alleged lack of progress before he came to power. This kind of discourse abroad was initiated by PM Modi not by the Congress,” Tharoor told news agency ANI.
On Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm after opposition members caused an uproar over the government's demand for an apology from Gandhi for his democracy remarks.
Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, without naming Gandhi, alleged that he had insulted the Parliament and constitutional institutions and said he should tender an apology.