Don’t preach rajdharma to us: BJP to Congress

New Delhi: Reminding the Congress of its “record of twist and turn and plain and simple votebank politics,” the BJP on Friday told the opposition party not to “preach” it ‘rajdharma,’ a day after the Congress asked the ruling party at the Centre to follow ‘rajdharma’ over the Delhi riots.

The BJP also reiterated its allegation that the Congress had provoked people against the amended Citizenship Act during its December rally at the Ramlila ground, which the ruling party claimed was instigating people against a legislation passed by Parliament. The BJP reminded the Congress that granting citizenship to persecuted minorities coming from neigbouring countries was a demand and a promise of the Congress, including late prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and the aim of the CAA.   

Hitting back at the Congress’s interim president, Sonia Gandhi, who had led a delegation of her party leaders to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday over the Delhi violence, the ruling BJP also asked the opposition party to clear its stand on persecuted minorities coming from neighbouring countries.

The BJP claimed that it disapproved the controversial comments made by some of its leaders, including Kapil Mishra over which the party is facing flak of various quarters.

Condemning the Congress, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “the language used by the Congress during its rally was aar paar ka faisla (on CAA)...was it not provocation..Congress leaders stood with Jinnah wali aazadi at Shaheen Bagh....please don’t preach us Rajdharma when your own record is full of rapid violence, twist and turn and plain and simple votebank politics.”

When asked about the controversial comments made by some BJP leaders, Prasad said Amit Shah has already clarified the party’s position, and the top BJP brass never considered their comments appropriate.

“They have not approved of their remarks...If publicly very senior leaders have disapproved of these statements, I think it means a lot...the party with its own internal system will surely respond to these situations,”said Prasad.

When asked about the Congress’ attack on the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court judge, Justice S Muralidhar, the Union law minister hit back at the party, noting that Congress government in the 1970s had superseded Supreme Court judges, a move seen as an assault on judicial independence. He reminded the Cogress that commitment to judicial, media and individual freedom is one of the Modi government’s “fundamentals” as he cited its leaders’ fight against the Emergency. He reiterated that Justice Muralidhar’s transfer had nothing to do with any case as a recommendation to this effect was already made by the Supreme Court collegium and the judge had also given his consent.