Reacting to the BJP's nation-wide fast programme on Thursday, Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot wondered why the ruling party suddenly felt the need to observe fast though it never did so in the last 70 years.
Addressing a press conference at his residence, Gehlot said the trend of holding fast was started by Mahatma Gandhi, which had been followed by the Congress party leaders over the decades.
"In line with Mahatma Gandhi's principle, we observed fast on April 9 to protest against violence in the state that erupted during a bandh called by Dalit community against the dilution of SC/ST Act by Supreme Court. But now BJP is following Gandhi's principles and it will soon follow Nehru's principles too," he said.
Later in the day, to counter Gehlot's claims, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state minister Yunus Khan said at a press conference the country's Prime Minister had to observe fast for the first time in the history of India to bring to fore the misconducts of the Congress party, which was a matter of shame for the opposition.
He said that the Congress had always believed in family legacy and one family ruled the nation for many decades.
"Starting with Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi ruled the nation. Even when this family was not ruling the country, they ensured that they were the rulers by enthroning a proxy Prime Minister," he added.
"Now that the country is growing fast under Modi, 'Yuvraj' wants to interrupt the growth and hence he did not allow smooth proceeding of Parliament, following which Modi had to observe fast to bring before the masses his party's activities," Khan added.
--IANS
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