'Earlier an Italian woman, now Italia...': Anurag Thakur's jibe in Gujarat
After Smriti Irani, Union minister Anurag Thakur, without taking Gopal Italia's name, commented on his old video where he criticised PM Modi's mother.
Union minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday said earlier there was an "Italian woman" who used to insult Narendra Modi and now there is an "Italia" who insulted PM Modi's mother in a veiled dig at Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia -- without naming them. Gujarat did not accept the former and will not accept the latter either, the Union minister said as he addressed a public meeting in the state. Also Read: Why is Gujarat AAP chief Gopal Italia under fire for old controversial videos?
Amid the ongoing BJP versus AAP ahead of the Gujarat assembly election, an old video of Gopal Italia has stirred fresh controversy. In the video, the AAP leader could be seen criticising PM Modi's mother. The BJP strongly condemned the video with Union minister Smriti Irani warning AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal that his party will be decimated in the state election.
"Her only crime is she gave birth to Narendra Modi. Your leaders and workers seek to punish and abuse her," Smriti Irani said calling Gopal Italia 'guttermouth'.
Meanwhile, the BJP released another old video of Italia where he was purportedly heard denouncing religion. "Religion means business, power, glory, luxury and the tendency to keep men backwards," he said on the video. A man with such views was now bowing his head in temples, the BJP said.
Gopal Italia was briefly detained in Delhi when he came to the office of the National Commission for women.
On Saturday, Anurag Thakur said there is a strong BJP wave in Gujarat and all past records will be broken in the impending elections. "The land of Gujarat has done the work of giving leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Patel at the time of the freedom movement. Today the same land has given us our beloved Prime Minister Shri Narendra Ji who led us from the front during the Covid times. It is during his leadership only that India is on the path of becoming Vishwa Guru," Thakur said.
"There is a huge wave of BJP in Gujarat and this time we are going to break all the previous records with the blessings of the people here. Modi Ji came to power in 2014 and 2019 with a path-breaking majority for the first time in history after 1984. In 2024 also, Modi Ji is going to come with 400 seats," Thakur said.
