Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, today took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP while speaking to the Indian diaspora in the US. Gandhi is now on a 10-day tour.
Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi “would start explaining to God how the universe works” since “some people believe they know everything” while speaking to a crowd in San Francisco. Anurag Thakur, a Union Minister, responded angrily, claiming the Congressman “couldn’t digest” the compliments and admiration PM Modi received during his recent international trips.
Rahul Gandhi claimed in his opening statement of a three-city tour that he started the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” because all methods of engaging the public in politics were “being controlled.”
“Some months ago, we started a walk from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. While walking we realised that normal instruments for doing politics (connecting with people) were not working anymore. They were controlled by the BJP and RSS. People are threatened and agencies are used against them. In some way, it had become quite difficult to act politically. That is why we decided to walk from the southernmost tip of India to Srinagar,” the Congress leader said at an event titled ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ on Wednesday.
In a caustic comment apparently directed at PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi said, “Some groups in India are under the impression that they know everything. In India, we grew up with people of different languages, different religions. And that is what is being attacked. The tradition in India, of people like Gandhi Ji and Guru Nanak Ji, has been that you should not be under the impression of knowing everything. It is a ‘disease’ that some groups of India think that they know everything. Even if they have a conversation with God, they might explain to him.”
And of course the Prime Minister is one of them, he said. If you forced him to sit next to God, he would begin explaining to God how the universe functions, which would cause God to become perplexed about what I had made. Scientists can listen to them (the BJP) and receive an explanation of science. They are able to instruct historians on the past, the army on combat, and the air force on flying. However, the truth is that they are completely ignorant.
The ruling party responded angrily to the remarks. Anurag Thakur, a Union Minister, charged the Congress politician with disrespecting India while travelling abroad.
“Rahul Gandhi insults India when he travels abroad. During his recent international trip, PM Modi attended more than 50 meetings and met with about 24 other PMs and Presidents of the world. Rahul Gandhi was unable to process the Australian Prime Minister’s remark that “PM Modi is the Boss,” according to Anurag Thakur, according to news agency ANI.
