NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his alleged remarks on the people of Gujarat and some other states, describing his comments “shameless, demeaning, and utterly despicable.”
Addressing media persons, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify whether they endorsed Kharge’s remarks.
Speaking at an election rally in Kerala, Kharge had said the people of the state were “educated and clever” and cannot be misled, unlike those who were “illiterate” in Gujarat and some other places.
Gujarat is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
“If Rahul Gandhi has any sense, he should distance himself from this remark, condemn it, and demand an apology,” Prasad said in his sharpest attack against Kharge, who he said, “does not deserve to remain Congress president” and had “abandoned all sense of dignity” associated with the post.
“The position he holds was once occupied by leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, Sonia Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and even Rahul Gandhi. Kharge’s comment is not only demeaning, but shameless and utterly despicable.
“What does it mean when the president of a national party calls an entire state’s people illiterate,” Prasad asked.
Quoting statistics, he said that Gujarat’s literacy rate has improved over the years and is around 82 per cent. “Kharge said Gujaratis are illiterate and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has misled them to stay in power, while people of Kerala are educated. If you hate the prime minister, will you say anything without thinking,” asked Prasad. He contended that the Congress president had not only insulted the residents of Gujarat but also other North-Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Slamming Kharge for likening the BJP and RSS to “poisonous snakes”, he accused him of stoking communal fire by instigating the minorities. “Are you trying to incite the minority community against the BJP and RSS? Are you trying to inflame communal sentiments to stir communal tension,” Prasad questioned.
Kharge, addressing a poll rally in Assam reportedly said even if you are offering namaz, you should kill the poisonous snakes if spotted nearby and then went on to label the BJP and RSS as the “serpents” which must be crushed. “Kharge ji, you owe an apology to the country. On behalf of the BJP, we demand that you apologise for calling the people of Gujarat illiterate,” he said.
Agencies