Several Union Ministers and BJP leaders have questioned the Congress MP from Wayanad, accusing him of creating a “north-south divide.”

Rahul Gandhi clad in a white kurta talking at an eventImage credit: Twitter / Congress
news Controversy Wednesday, February 24, 2021 - 10:39
TNM Staff

Congress MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi, who is in Kerala ahead of the Assembly polls in the state, told a rally in Thiruvananthapuram that he enjoys coming to Kerala for the way politics is conducted in the state, stating that it is refreshing. The MP’s remark has been criticised by the BJP, who has accused him of making a ‘divisive’ remark between politics in north and south India.

Rahul is in Kerala as part of the Congress’s ‘Aishwarya Kerala Yatra’ in the state which is being led by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. Speaking at the culminating event in Shangumugham, Rahul said, “For the first 15 years, I was a Member of Parliament in the north. So I had got used to a different type of politics. And for me, coming to Kerala was very refreshing. Because suddenly I found that people are interested in issues and not just superficially but going into detail in issues.”

He also added that while talking to some students in the United States recently, he said he "really enjoys" going to Kerala because of "the way you do politics.”

"Recently, I was talking to some students in the United States and I said that I really enjoy going to Kerala and really I love going to Wayanad. It's not just the affection, because affection of course is there, but it's the way you do your politics."

However, the BJP has lashed out at the Congress MP, accusing him of creating a “north-south divide.”

BJP President JP Nadda took to Twitter to state, “A few days back he was in the Northeast, spewing venom against the western part of India. Today in the South he is spewing venom against the North. Divide and rule politics won’t work, @RahulGandhi Ji! People have rejected this politics. See what happened in Gujarat today!”

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri questioned Rahul for “questioning the intelligence of north Indians.”

“Look at his gall. The man who ran to Kerala to save his Lok Sabha seat questions the intelligence of North Indians, including those who faithfully voted for his family for generations! Fact is...he was forced to run because of non performance & lack of development. Instead of accepting failure & ineptitude to show results he is trying to imply that he changed constituencies because the voters lacked intelligence! It is this combination of arrogance & selfishness which is responsible for the state which Congress today finds itself in,” the minister tweeted.

 

 

Other Union Ministers, like Smriti Irani and S Jaishankar have also questioned Rahul Gandhi.

 

 

 

 

BJP leader and Minister for State in the Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who hails from Kerala, also slammed Rahul Gandhi for his remark.

“@RahulGandhi's comments once again exposed @IncIndia's divisive agenda. @RahulGandhi is a tourist politician in Kerala. He cares nothing about the people or the nation,” Muraleedharan tweeted.

 

 

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had hit out at BJP and CPI(M) for the rise in fuel prices and the ongoing protest of PSC (Public Service Commission) rank holders in the state. He also alleged that BJP was taking a soft stance against the Left in Kerala.

"I fight the BJP and the ideology of RSS everyday. The BJP attacks every step of mine. Right now, they are watching this speech, and thinking how they can attack me. I don't understand why they are going soft on cases against the Chief Minister's office. Why is the CBI and the ED not attacking the government? I am confused. I know when you fight the BJP, they attack you 24 hours a day," Rahul Gandhi said, speaking about the CBI and Enforcement Directorate probe into Life Mission and gold smuggling cases.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has replied to the criticisms, stating that he is not afraid and will continue the fight with non-violence.

(With PTI inputs)

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