BJP hits out at Rahul, Priyanka over alleged conduct with cops
As the Congress intensified its protest, the BJP on Thursday accused Rahul Gandhi of “inappropriately touching” a female constable and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of “punching” a cop during their street protest, and claimed that the Congress leaders’ actions were not consistent with their slogan of “smash the patriarchy”.
The Congress was also trying to create “Nepal-and Bangladesh-like anarchy” in the country through its protests, as Rahul Gandhi is “desperate” to come to power, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party spokesperson Sidharth Yadav accused Rahul and Priyanka of attacking police personnel during the protests. Yadav said the visuals being circulated were not of a protest but showed “the anarchy being spread in the national capital” under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
He alleged that Rahul “inappropriately touched” a woman police constable and claimed that Priyanka “punched a female police officer in the stomach”.
“The conduct of Rahul Gandhi in inappropriately touching a female constable is totally unacceptable,” he said. “Priyanka punched a female police officer in the stomach even though she was simply standing there and had not provoked anyone. This is beyond tolerance,” he said. The BJP spokesperson also alleged that Congress workers kicked policemen after bringing them to the ground.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s slogan “smash the patriarchy” and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s “Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon” slogans, Yadav questioned whether the alleged conduct of the Congress leaders was consistent with their stated positions.
“When she was hitting that female police officer, was this the slogan that was going through her mind?” he asked, referring to Priyanka. If that’s not the case, “then the truth behind their slogans is now before the country”, Yadav said. “Rahul Gandhi has said that there are 47 FIRs against him. But wearing an FIR relating to an alleged crime against a woman as a medal – only Rahul Gandhi can do this in the country,” he said.
At a separate press conference, another BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said justice is always sought through constitutional means, but the opposition leaders, especially Rahul and Priyanka, are trying to create anarchy in the country with their street protests in Delhi.
On Rahul’s insistence on meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Bhatia asked if the leader of opposition has written any letter to the poll panel or has he obtained any permission for holding protest at Jantar Mantar.
Bhatia alleged that Rahul Gandhi is the “biggest anarchist” that India has ever seen. “It is a misfortune of our country and its citizens that the LoP is someone who kills the spirit of the Constitution,” the BJP leader added.
BJP spokesperson Bhandari showed some video footage purportedly of INDIA bloc’s protest on Wednesday and said that the way Rahul, his sister Priyanka and Congress workers manhandled the police personnel in Delhi makes the party’s “intention” clear.
Showing another such video, he claimed police personnel were requesting Rahul Gandhi to hold a peaceful protest as “there is a crowd of thousands” accompanying him. He also alleged that Rahul pushed a policeman hoping to create “resistance reels”.
“In the third clip, Priyanka Vadra herself is seen attempting to push police personnel,” Bhandari said.
On the Election Commission issue, Bhandari said the matter was already before the Supreme Court and claimed that the protests would have no bearing on the judicial proceedings.
He also alleged that “global international forces” were working along with Rahul Gandhi to create unrest in India.
