BJP Calls Rahul Gandhi 'Flag-Bearer of Anti-India Forces' Over Colombia Remarks

In a scathing attack on the Congress on Friday, the BJP said that Rahul Gandhi had turned into the"flag-bearer of anti-India forces" who was advancing Congress’s agenda in the nation and urged people to be cautious around him.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, speaking at a press conference, attacked Gandhi for his recent comments at a seminar in Colombia and claimed that it is now obvious that the Congress, which has been ruled by the Nehru-Gandhi family for more than a century, is being targeted by "anti-India" forces.

Trivedi added, "He (Rahul Gandhi)  said there are 16-17 languages (in India). As you can see, he will attempt to incite strife over the language issue.  There have previously been attempts to incite a fight between the North and the South of the nation.  He urged the populace to be cautious of Gandhi and the Nehru-Gandhi family, accusing Gandhi of becoming the "jhanda bardar" (flag-bearer) of "anti-India forces."

"Today it seems that having a leader of the opposition like him is like a thorn in the heart of Indian democracy," the BJP Rajya Sabha MP said.

"Those in the Congress who are aware of the party falling into the clutches of dangerous foreign forces are committing treason. I appeal to those who are not aware of this to show due diligence and stop such leaders," he added.

Trivedi further said there was a time when the Congress had mature leadership.

But today, the Congress leadership is "so immature", he alleged.

"There was a time when the Congress knew how to use the Ultra Left and such people till Indira Gandhi and P V Narashimha Rao were there (at the helm of party affairs). Today, it is being used. It's not a problem just for the Congress but a matter of concern for the country as well," Trivedi said.

"This raises a serious question before the country's polity and political analysts that if any party in greed for power or some other compulsions accepts the leadership of a foreign origin, will this foreign origin leadership prove to be a mistake of the party or a problem for the country?" he added, without naming anyone.

The BJP spokesperson also slammed the Congress over its leader Udit Raj allegedly calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "a symbol of modern Ravan", saying such remarks against the prime minister reflect the opposition party's "frustration" of being out of power for several years.

"I only want to simply remind those who supported the killers of Rambhakt karsevaks did not attend the inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya but visited Babar's memorial three times to pay their obeisance.

"People know them. People know very well who is the symbol of Ravan's propensity and who is the symbol of Lord Ram's 'sanskar'," he added.

The BJP spokesperson said that the Congress leader's comments are not surprising since he has turned into a "farmabadar" (a faithful servant) of anti-Indian forces due to "frustration" over the party's "collapse" and loss of power after it was "under the control of his family for the last 140 years."

Addressing a seminar at the EIA University in Medellin city in Colombia, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the "wholesale attack on the democratic system" currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing.

He said that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important, and stressed that "we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system".

Gandhi also alleged that there are "huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level" in India now.

With PTI inputs.