Why is Pakistan being discussed when elections are held in India and India’s unemployment rate is at its highest level in 45 years? Hits back at Bharatiya Janata Party amid spat over Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks asked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday.
She also asked the BJP to fight in the polls on real issues.
In an exclusive interview with PTI, Priyanka Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of elevating Hindu-Muslim rhetoric to win elections, saying people should not expect their votes to be contested on the basis of religion or caste. He claimed he didn’t want it.
Priyanka Gandhi said: “People are saying you (Bharatiya Janata Party) won two elections on religion and now you are moving on from there.”
“I ask when that statement was made. If it is an old statement, why are we discussing it today? Secondly, I want to ask where are the elections being held in India? Or Pakistan? Elections are going on. India, then why are we talking about Pakistan?” she said during the Amethi election campaign of her party’s candidate Kishori Lal Sharma. told PTI.
Priyanka Gandhi also questioned why there was no discussion about India’s rising unemployment rate, which is the highest in 45 years.
“They (people) feel insecure if they have to undergo treatment. Why isn’t this being talked about? Farmers are suffering and have no income, everything from diesel to agricultural inputs It’s getting more expensive. Why isn’t this being talked about? ‘Why are workers being exploited and not being paid enough?’ she asked.
Mr. Aiyar’s comments on Pakistan sparked a spat on Friday, with his party quickly distancing itself from the remarks while the BJP stuck by them, with the great old party making excuses for the terrorism emanating from Pakistan and its soil. accused of being a person.
Ayyar said the video was old and had been dredged up now that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election campaign was at a slump.
In comments circulating on social media, Aiyar was heard saying that India should respect Pakistan as a sovereign nation and engage with Pakistan, which has an atomic bomb.
Asked about the Congress’ efforts to remain focused on people’s issues, Priyanka Gandhi said the Bharatiya Janata Party is elevating Hindu-Muslim rhetoric to divert attention from the real issues and its track record. he accused.
“I think the people are tired of elevating Hindu-Muslims every election, making (the narrative) based on religion and sometimes asking them to take an oath in the name of God to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party. I understand.’ What nonsense is this,” the Congress general secretary said.
She called on the Bharatiya Janata Party to seek a vote on performance.
Priyanka Gandhi also asked how many elections the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to win on the basis of Hindu-Muslim rhetoric.
“So this is the demand of the people in this election, they are saying they don’t want to fight elections on the basis of religion or caste. “I want to campaign on real issues, issues that we face in our daily lives,” she said.
She says people are wondering where these issues are getting attention.
Priyanka Gandhi will remain in Rae Bareli and Amethi till polls are held in the two seats on May 20. While Rahul Gandhi is contesting against Dinesh Pratap Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Ra Bareli, Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, is contesting against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Smriti Irani in Amethi. .
At a street corner rally in Amethi on Friday, Priyanka Gandhi spoke about the personal connections her family has had with people for over a century.
She also spoke about how Indira Gandhi had been attacked by Mr. Modi on issues of nationalism while she was prime minister when Pakistan was split into two in 1971.
The senior Congress leader also spoke about his father Rajiv Gandhi coming to Amethi as prime minister and listening to people’s grievances and even “reprimands”. Priyanka Gandhi said he has always worked for the development of this constituency.
She even targeted Prime Minister Modi over the electoral bond issue, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party had become the richest part of the world by “extorting money” through the system.
(With inputs from PTI)
