New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, serving as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has defended his recent comments about Sikhs and other communities made during his visit to the United States. He accused the BJP of spreading lies and making desperate efforts to silence him.
Gandhi emphasized the importance of freedom of belief, asking, "Is there anything wrong with what I have said? Shouldn't India be a country where every Sikh—and every Indian—can freely practice their religion without fear?" He stressed that the BJP is trying to suppress the truth and reiterated his commitment to the values of unity, diversity, equality, and love.
In his speech, Gandhi highlighted the real issues at stake, saying, "The fight is not about politics; it’s about whether a Sikh can wear a turban or visit a Gurudwara in India. This is about all religions." He criticized the RSS for suggesting that certain states, religions, and languages are inferior to others, asserting that every community’s history and traditions are equally important.
Gandhi questioned the type of India that will emerge: "Will it be a country where people can believe and express themselves freely, or will it be one where only a select few dictate what happens?"
The remarks have sparked a war of words between Congress and BJP leaders. Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu labeled Gandhi as the "country's number 1 terrorist," which has drawn sharp criticism from Congress members. They condemned the threatening language used by Bittu and other BJP officials.
Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi announced plans to take legal action against those making threats against Gandhi. Venugopal stated that the BJP feels threatened by Gandhi’s growing popularity and questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah regarding these remarks.
Singhvi described the BJP as being in a state of panic every time Gandhi addresses issues affecting minorities. He accused the ruling party of inciting hatred against Gandhi.
The Congress party has also filed a police complaint against Bittu for his comments, citing threats made against Gandhi, and has called for an FIR to be registered. The complaint mentions similar remarks by other BJP leaders, including a call for violence against Gandhi.
BJP leaders have strongly criticized Gandhi's statements from his US visit. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Gandhi's "misleading and baseless" comments are shameful and disrespectful to India, particularly to the Sikh community. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi expressed concern over Gandhi’s remarks, labeling them as dangerous.
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