BJP Questions Rahul Gandhi’s Absence From Jantar Mantar Protest; Claims Credit War Within Oppn
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit out at the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, questioning his absence from the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protests at Jantar Mantar and accusing the party of “taking credit” by staging a sit-in near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.
The BJP claimed that a “credit war” is ongoing within the Opposition, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress trading guns at each other of “hijacking” the students’ agitation over exam paper leaks.
Speaking to IANS, BJP leader Rohan Gupta accused Congress of indulging in “vulture politics”.
“What we saw yesterday was an example of vulture politics. Students had been protesting at Jantar Mantar for several days, but Rahul Gandhi was nowhere to be seen, nor was any Congress leader. It seemed they were away on a picnic. But when they felt the issue had political potential and could be exploited, Rahul Gandhi joined the protest yesterday to further his politics,” he said.
“That is the Congress’ style of politics. Whenever there is a public issue, they are willing to do anything to claim credit for it. Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party were simply trying to take credit,” he reiterated.
Gupta also said: “People know that this is not the first time, whenever the Parliament has been in session, the Congress has attempted to attack the government based on its vulture politics, whether during the farmers’ protest, agitation by wrestlers and now this.”
Asserting that the BJP-led Centre is “sympathetic” and committed to ensure that the future of students aren’t messed with, the BJP leader questioned: “Till when will the Congress continue with its vulture politics and taking others’ credit?”
Maintaining that the Union government has heard the students and will take the required action, the BJP leader alleged: “While the students were protesting at Jantar Mantar, the Congress was staging its own protest elsewhere, led by Rahul Gandhi, in order to themselves take credit.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla claimed that the Congress protest on Tuesday exposed fault lines within the Opposition.
Referring to AAP’s attack on the Congress’ agitation, Poonawalla said: “The so-called sympathy they are showing towards students has exposed the divisions within the INDIA bloc. Yesterday, the Aam Aadmi Party accused the Congress of hijacking its issue, while Congress leaders criticised the AAP. The Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal have sided with the Congress, whereas it appears that Shiv Sena-UBT and a few other INDIA bloc allies are leaning towards the AAP.”
“This proves that the INDIA bloc has divided into two, due to this credit war. However, both factions of this bloc do not want any discussion (on the NEET issue) in the Parliament and instead want to politicise the students’ issue and generate hatred,” he remarked.
(IANS)
