By Santosh Kumar Pathak
New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Even as the Congress is holding press conferences and nationwide protests against disqualification of its leader Rahul Gandhi from Parliament, the BJP has formulated a strategy to play on the front foot and is cornering the Gandhi scion for his “anti-OBC remarks”.
After the Surat court convicted Rahul in the criminal defamation case, the BJP mounted its attack on the Congress leader.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday held a meeting with the OBC ministers and discussed framework to carry out a campaign against Rahul for his “Modi surname” remark.
BJP national president J. P. Nadda has invited all 28 parliamentarians of the party who are from the OBC community for a dinner on March 28.
Talking to IANS, a BJP parliamentaian from the OBC community said that Rahul has insulted the entire OBC community and in this meeting, definitely party national president will guide on the issue.
Responding to Rahul’s press conference, former union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “Rahul has inulted the entire OBC community and not only Modi surname. Modi is a community not just a surname. Rahul has a right to criticise but not abuse. If Rahul says that he speaks in public with full understanding, then it is clear that he has intentionally insulted the OBCs. The BJP will hold nationwide campaign against Rahul Gandhi for insulting OBCs.”
Campaigning against Rahul from Parliament to road over the “Modi surname” remarks will give an edge to BJP on many fronts in the states which have OBC leaders like SP chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister and RLD leader Lalu Yadav, Deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav, Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel and his Rajasthan chief minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot , who are considered big OBC leaders.
The BJP is also trying to “expose” the bickerings in the Congress party by raking up the issue.
“Congress has a battery of lawyers. Why they did not appeal for a stay order in Surat Session court, High Court or Supreme Court. Who asked Rahul not to move court. Does Rahul want to become a martyr by cutting his nail,” Prasad asked.
“BJP accused Rahul of not moving the court so that he can be projected as “martyr” in the Karnataka Assembly polls. Such indications were given by Rahul’s sister Priyanka and other Congress leaders,” Prasad claimed.
Prasad said that in context of Congress leader Pawan Khera’s arrest over his derogatory remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, soon the court was approached and he got the relief.
Prasad claimed that it may be a part of internal politics of the Congress to remove Rahul to “save” the party.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that intead of accusing, Rahul Gandhi should find out conspiracy being carried out against him. Despite battery of advocates in the Congress, who planned a conspiracy to get rid of Rahul. When Pawan Kera can move court two hours after his arrest warrant was issued, who stopped Rahul to move court even 24 hours after he was convicted in a defamation case.
By raking up this issue, the BJP leaders are trying to prove that everything is not well in the Congress.
–IANS
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