‘Doesn’t know ABC of Cong’: Gehlot stings Kapil Sibal for criticism of Gandhis
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said Kapil Sibal isn’t a person from the Congress culture after the latter’s criticism of the Gandhis.
JAIPUR: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday hit out at Congress leader Kapil Sibal after the latter demanded that Gandhis should voluntarily move away from the party leadership.
“Kapil Sibal isn’t a person from the Congress culture. He is a renowned advocate who entered the Congress. He got many chances, been a union minister, party spokesperson etc, because of the blessings of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. It is not expected from a person who doesn’t know ABC of th Congress to give such statements,” said Gehlot, addressing newspersons in Jaipur.
The chief minister’s comment comes after Sibal today reiterated the need for reforms in the party, saying it is time the Gandhis step aside from the leadership role for a new leader. In an interview to a newspaper, Sibal said he is neither surprised by the Congress drubbing in the five state elections nor by the fact that the Congress working committee (CWC) reaffirmed faith in Gandhi’s leadership.
Gehlot said that the Congress can remain united under the leadership of the Gandhi family and the leaders should stand united with the party at a time when the party is losing elections. “The comment is unfortunate. I can’t understand why such things come to the mind of Kapil Sibal. Why does he talk in such frustration is beyond my understanding? I did not expect from him the kind of language he is speaking, the way he thinks, I think it is unfortunate,” he said.
He said that the countrymen from all parts of the country want Gandhis to lead the party. “The people from all castes, religion, and from every corner of the country believe that the Congress can remain united under the leadership of Gandhis family. At a time when the party is losing elections, leaders should stand united,” he said.
Hitting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah, he said that only two persons are ruling the nation and their approach is “very dangerous”. “If any writer or a journalist disagrees with them or writes an article against them, then you go to jail. If such a situation is there in a country, then I don’t know in which direction the country is heading. We call upon the people of the state, the youngsters, to understand the matter, read the history, what is the truth of history and how we should come forward by keeping history in front. Tomorrow belongs to the young generation, and their future, we are worried about that,” he said.
He said that the Congress party is needed to be strengthened to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Those who are talking about finishing the Congress party will themselves get finished. The Congress is around 135 years old and our leaders have made sacrifices pre and post-independence,” he said.
