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Gehlot says Indira Gandhi would've banned BJP if alive today, calls for Rahul to lead INDIA alliance
Gehlot was speaking on the need for opposition unity and said that its leadership should be given to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would have banned a party like BJP if she were alive today, news agency ANI reported.
"If a leader like Indira Gandhi were alive today, she would have banned a party like the BJP,” he said.
Gehlot was speaking on the need for opposition unity and called for the strengthening of the INDIA alliance, saying that its leadership should be given to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
"There is a need to strengthen the INDIA alliance... I also stated that the INDIA alliance should openly give leadership to Rahul Gandhi..."
‘Atmosphere in country today dangerous’
The Congress leader also expressed concern about the current political environment in the country, describing it as “dangerous.”
“In my lifetime, I have witnessed many situations, but the atmosphere in the country today is dangerous,” he said, as per ANI.
Drawing a comparison with the era of former Prime Minister, Gehlot added, “Back in the day, during Indira Gandhi's time, it was Congress versus all other parties... The 'Congress hatao, desh bachao' campaign was launched against Indira Gandhi, yet within just two and a half years, the public brought her back to power..."
He further said that once the public will realise and stand with congress, parties allied with NDA and BJP will turn against them.
"When the public realises--and truly stands with the Congress--then the parties currently allied with the NDA and the BJP will turn against the BJP..."
‘BJP weakening country’
He also took a jibe at the ruling party, BJP, and accused them of weakening the country by deliberately pushing a religious agenda.
"What is their (BJP) mindset? They are weakening the country by deliberately pushing a religious agenda--targeting Muslims... They do this to show the citizens that they are a 'Hindutva' party..."
‘Rejoin Congress’, says Gehlot
Earlier, the Congress leader had urged all parties that parted ways with Congress to rejoin and “wholeheartedly” accept Rahul as its leader.
“All those parties that became regional parties after separating from Congress should rejoin, and they should wholeheartedly accept Rahul Gandhi as the leader. There should be a message across the entire country that the leader of the INDIA alliance is Rahul Gandhi. This message should be clear-cut. Then the people will make you successful," he added.
Gehlot highlighted the contrast between the leadership of the BJP and Congress, saying, "They see that on one side is Narendra Modi ji and on the other side is Rahul Gandhi ji. If there is a clear-cut message that all political parties have together accepted Rahul Gandhi as their leader, then you will see that the voting pattern in the country will change."
(With inputs from ANI)
