New Delhi, May 24: The BJP has slammed Rahul Gandhi over his meeting with British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in London. The ruling party has questioned the senior Congress leader whether he will endorse Corbyn's "anti-India views."
Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to London, met Corbyn on Monday and the Indian Overseas Congress shared the picture of the two along with Sam Pitroda. This has triggered a war of words between the BJP and Congress.
Why BJP is attacking Gandhi over his Corbyn meeting?
Corbyn, who served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2015 to 2020, has often expressed his views against India. His stand on the Kashmir issue sparked a controversy in 2019.
"Again.. Rahul Gandhi meets UK MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who is known for his hatred and dislike for India, advocates Kashmir's secession. Or how long and how much one can go on against one's own country," BJP leader and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a picture of Gandhi's meeting with the British leader on Twitter and asked in a tweet.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra said, "What is Rahul Gandhi doing with Jeremy Corbyn...in London? Jeremy Corbyn is infamous for anti-India, anti-Hindu stand. Jeremy Corbyn is openly advocating separation of Kashmir from India."
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said, "Jeremy is known for his visceral dislike for India, advocates Kashmir's secession and is unequivocally anti-Hindu." "Gandhi has finally found his overseas collaborator, who denigrates India with the same impunity as him," Malviya said in a tweet.
How Congress Reacted?
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Am amazed as to how dearest friends in TV Media have to bend over backwards to serve the idiotic agenda of Government and ilk of Kapil Mishra."
He said political leaders have met in the past and will meet in future other leaders having divergent and opposite views. "Hope the media friends will ask the BJP as to what did PM discuss in this meeting and whether PM endorsed those views," he said.
Surjewala also shared a picture of Corbyn with PM Modi and asked, "Finally, May I also ask our Media Friends to identify the two men in picture below and ask the same questions? Does it mean PM has endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's views on India?"
He also cited examples of PM Modi's public interactions with economic fugitives Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi and asked whether he endorsed them.
"Rahul Gandhi taking a picture with a person with whom we hold divergent views is neither a crime nor an act of terror as is being made out. If this is the criteria, our media friends should also debate - Why did PM take Nirav Modi to Davos and about their common photos? What about video of PM addressing Mehul Choksi as "Hamare Mehul Bhai" in a public function," he asked.
"Why does PM meet President Xi Jinping, when China has occupied our territory? Why did PM go to Pakistan to meet the then PM, Nawaz Sharif? Will the Government promise it'll never ever meet anyone having divergent views from us? Time to debate real issues, not BJP propaganda," the Congress leader said. PTI