JP Nadda accused Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc of using the November 1 Ramlila Maidan rally to spread unrest and destabilise an elected government.
Nadda questioned the choice of November 1, citing the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Claiming that the rally could disrupt festive-season trade, Nadda cited the CTI to allege that Delhi traders' losses could exceed Rs 10,000 crore.
Union Minister JP Nadda on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ahead of the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, accusing the Opposition of attempting to spread unrest and destabilise an elected government.
“Rahul Gandhi, listen carefully. This is India, not a banana republic where you can orchestrate arson, incite riots and run a regime-change agenda whenever you want,” Nadda said, accusing the Congress leader of pursuing a politics of disruption.
The BJP leader alleged that the Opposition was using the banner of democracy to create unrest in the national capital, disrupt business and damage India's image. His remarks came as INDIA bloc parties gathered to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and demand accountability over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Nadda Accuses Opposition Of Plotting Anarchy, Targets Rahul Gandhi
Describing the INDIA bloc rally as a “thoughtless and carefully orchestrated political drama”, Nadda alleged that the gathering was part of a larger conspiracy to destabilise the government and disrupt Delhi's economy.
“Whatever is happening at Ramlila Maidan today is not respected for democracy, but a well-planned conspiracy to spread anarchy in the name of democracy and leave the country at the mercy of disorder,” he said.
Taking direct aim at Rahul Gandhi, Nadda outlined what he described as the Congress leader's model of politics: spreading misinformation and creating a ruckus, triggering street disturbances, hurting the country's economy and attempting to destabilise an elected government at the behest of foreign powers.
He also accused Gandhi of insulting India abroad and attacking its democratic institutions and economy after returning to the country. Nadda maintained that India was one of the world's strongest democracies and would be governed by the Constitution and the people's mandate.
“The people of India are no longer going to fall for this deception. This toolkit of anarchy has now been exposed,” he said, claiming that the INDIA bloc rally would become the final nail in the coffin of the Congress's political decline.
Nadda also questioned the Opposition's decision to hold the gathering on November 1, the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Describing the violence as one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history, he accused Congress-backed elements of killing innocent Sikhs and leaving thousands of families homeless.
Referring to Delhi's Widow Colony, he alleged that the Gandhi family had never sincerely apologised to the Sikh community for the violence. He also questioned whether other INDIA bloc constituents endorsed the Congress's decision to organise the rally on a date associated with the community's suffering.
Nadda Claims Rally Could Cause Traders Losses Of Over Rs 10,000 Crore
The Union Minister also accused the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies of disrupting business in Delhi by holding a large political gathering during the festive season.
Referring to Dhanteras, Diwali and Chhath Puja, Nadda said small traders, street vendors and shopkeepers depended on the period to earn a substantial share of their annual income. He alleged that the rally would affect their livelihoods.
Citing representations by the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), Nadda said the traders' body had written to Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on three occasions, including Sunday, urging them to avoid large political gatherings in Delhi during the festive season.
According to Nadda, previous protests had already caused traders losses of around Rs 3,000 crore, while the latest gathering could push the losses beyond Rs 10,000 crore.
He specifically named Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Khari Baoli and Karol Bagh, saying the commercial hubs and other parts of central Delhi were home to numerous small traders who could be affected.
Nadda's remarks came hours after Rahul Gandhi urged people attending the rally to visit local markets and shop after the protest, pitching the move as a way to support Delhi's traders.
