'Rahul's remarks disrespectful to freedom fighters'

BJP takes strong exception to the Cong MP's reported statement on his family's role in freedom struggle, reports U Raghuvanshi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday took strong exception to the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's reported statement on the role of his family in the freedom struggle, division of Pakistan and taking India to 21st century.

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"I belong to the family which has never moved backwards, never gone back on its words. You know that when any member of my family had decided to do anything, he does it. Be it the freedom struggle, the division of Pakistan or taking India to the 21st century." This is what Rahul Gandhi has been quoted to have said at a public meeting at Budaun on Saturday.

Talking to media persons the senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said Rahul's statement was contempt to freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country during freedom struggle. The Congress should also take responsibility for creating Jammu and Kashmir issue, he said.

"When most princely states decided to merge with Indian at the behest of Sardar Patel, Jawahar Lal Nehru was given the responsibility for merger of Kashmir," said Naidu adding that Nehru failed to do so. "Will the Gandhi family take responsibility for imposition of emergency," he said adding the Congress should also own responsibility for sending IPKF to Sri Lanka.

Naidu urged the Election Commission to shift the criminals contesting the election to Tihar jail to ensure free and fair elections. The legislators having criminal antecedents were threatening rival candidates from jails, he said adding that the Samajwadi Party was patronising such legislators. Referring to murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai he said the accused in the case were lodged in Ghazipur jail.