BJP hits out at Rahul Gandhi for seeking 'Europe, US intervention' in India

Rahul Gandhi in London: Fresh war of words ensued between The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress hours after senior leader Rahul Gandhi told the Indian diaspora in London that India's democracy "has come undone."  Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday slammed Gandhi for “insulting” India’s democracy from a foreign land. 

Speaking at an interaction at the independent policy institute Chatham House in London on Monday evening, Gandhi expressed his concerns over the crumbling democracy in India.  

“Indian democracy is under pressure, is under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India and we are navigating that space. What is happening is that the institutional framework which is required for a democracy — Parliament, a free press, the judiciary — just the idea of mobilisation, just the idea of moving around … these are all getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy,” Gandhi said during his speech. 

He further said that it is the “duty" of every Indian, everywhere in the world, to “speak up for India’s core values and protect our beloved democracy". 

His reply came after a woman in the audience said, “I’m feeling wretched at the state of my country. My father was an RSS man, and proudly so, but wouldn’t recognise the country that is now. For those of us, who are out of our country, how can we engage and empower our democracy?" 

Reacting sharply on Tuesday, Prasad said Gandhi’s comments were “utterly shameful”. He said: “It’s utterly shameful that Rahul Gandhi, from a foreign land, has tried to hurt the spirits of India’s consensus on the subject that no foreign country must intervene in India’s internal affairs.” 

 He further said that it is shameful that Gandhi is seeking Europe and US’ “intervention”. “Rahul Gandhi has tried to embarrass the country by saying that Europe and America should interfere in the internal affairs of India,” he said. 

He added that BJP disapproves Gandhi’s comments and said that he is “misusing the forum of British parliament” to spread shameful lies and unfounded claims, and said there needed to be a “proper rebuttal”. 

He added that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi owed a clarification on the comments. 

“Rahul Gandhi wants that Europe and US should interfere to save democracy? No matter whose government it is, we have been strongly against any interference in our internal affairs. No foreign country must intervene in India's internal affairs," Prasad said. 

Congress too reacted to Prasad’s comments and said he is distorting and twisting the truth, and lying with a straight face. 

 Earlier, Gandhi said he wanted to have a detailed discussion on the Indo-China issue at a meeting of a parliamentary committee but External Affairs minister S Jaishankar told him that it is a ludicrous idea. Gandhi had underlined the need for listening, saying: “In the 21st century, chaos is very powerful. Listening is more powerful than speaking.”

The BJP had criticised this too. Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday hit out at Gandhi for his remarks and asked the Congress leader not to betray the nation.