'Pathetic and casteist mindset': BJP slams Rahul Gandhi

Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda Friday claimed that Rahul Gandhi has a habit of levelling fabricated allegations having no connection with facts while alleging the Congress leader has a "huge arrogance but little understanding".

In a series of tweets amid a political fight between the BJP and the Congress following Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case over the "Modi surname" remarks, Nadda alleged that "lies, personal slander and negative politics is integral" to his politics.

People's "punishment" to him will be more severe in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls than in 2019 when he lost in Amethi and the Congress was routed nationally, the BJP leader said.

He said, "By comparing OBC communities to thieves, Rahul Gandhi has shown a pathetic and casteist mindset. However, his latest tirade is not surprising. For the last many years, he has always reduced levels of political discourse."

Nadda said he repeatedly ignored suggestions from the court and the community to tender an apology for his comments. The entire Other Backward Classes will avenge this insult in a democratic manner, the BJP president said.

"He repeatedly hurt the sentiments of the OBCs. The Surat court has convicted him for his objectionable comments against the community. But Rahul Gandhi and the Congress stuck to those remarks due to their arrogance," Nadda said.

As the "newly minted" Congress president, Gandhi's core issue for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls was the "cooked-up Rafale scam", he said.

"His negative politics and cooked-up Rafale scam faced a setback in the court of law. Our highest court of the land, the Honourable Supreme Court gave a very clear verdict on the Rafale issue and did not believe the corruption bogey Gandhi raised," he added.

Targeting the Congress leader, he said Gandhi was also pulled up by the Supreme Court for his misleading claims on the Rafale issue and had to tender an unconditional apology for his fabricated allegations.

Gandhi also resorted to raising the "chowkidar chor hai" slogan despite objections from senior leaders within his party, the BJP president said citing media reports.

He went on ranting against PM Narendra Modi even if it meant he was defeated in his own seat (Amethi) and his party got wiped out nationally, the BJP president said.

"Now, Rahul Gandhi calls the entire OBC community thieves. He gets flak in the courts but he refuses to apologise thus showing how deep-rooted his hatred for OBCs is. The people of India did not forgive him in 2019. In 2024 the punishment will be more severe," he said.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav also hit out at the Congress for raising questions on a Gujarat court convicting Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case, and asked if they consider themselves above the law of the land.

Yadav, a prominent OBC leader, noted that the court convicted Gandhi following due process of law.

“Are Congress party and Rahul Gandhi higher than the law of the country?...Is it a national leader's job to abuse and insult a surname of the OBC society?” the senior BJP leader asked at a press conference

“I believe Congress party and Rahul Gandhi are guilty of hurling abuse at the entire OBC community in the country,” he said, adding, “Everybody should respect the court verdict".

Yadav also slammed Gandhi for his recent democracy remarks in the UK and accused him of hurling abuses and telling lies.

The Congress leader has not just insulted a caste or a society with his remarks for which he has been convicted by the court, he has also insulted “India, Constitution of India and democratic process in India” with his recent comments in London, he charged.

“His words reflect his mindset about the OBC society and other smaller (lower caste) societies,” he added.