Rahul Gandhi Defends Remarks About Sikhs, Accuses BJP of Lies
New Delhi, India – Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, defended his comments about Sikhs and other sections of Indian society made during his visit to the United States. He accused the BJP of spreading lies and trying to silence him.
Rahul Gandhi’s Statement
Rahul Gandhi asked, “I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad: Is there anything wrong with what I have said? Shouldn’t India be a country where every Sikh—and every Indian—can freely practice their religion without fear?” He added, “As usual, the BJP is resorting to lies. They are desperate to silence me because they cannot stand the truth. But I will always speak up for the values that define India: our unity in diversity, equality, and love.”
Speech in the US
During his speech in the US, Rahul Gandhi said, “The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India, or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to wear a kada in India or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to the Gurudwara. That’s what the fight is about, and not just for him, but for all religions.”
He also criticized the RSS, saying, “What the RSS is basically saying is that certain states are inferior to other states, certain religions are inferior to other religions, certain languages are inferior to other languages and certain communities are inferior to other communities. That is what the fight is about.”
Reactions from BJP
A war of words erupted between Congress and BJP leaders over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. Union Minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu called Rahul Gandhi the “country’s number 1 terrorist,” which drew strong condemnation from Congress.
BJP leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, criticized Rahul Gandhi’s remarks. Rajnath Singh said, “The kind of misleading and baseless things that Rahul Gandhi stated during his foreign tour is extremely shameful and hurt the dignity of India.”
Congress’s Response
Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi announced that the party would take legal action against those using “threatening language” against Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal alleged that these threats were part of a deliberate plan by the BJP, which felt threatened by Rahul Gandhi’s rising popularity.
Congress treasurer Ajay Maken filed a police complaint against Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and others, alleging attempts to provoke violence against Rahul Gandhi. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed in the Delhi High Court against Bittu over his remarks.
Doubts Revealed
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a leader of the Congress party in India. He is the son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Sikhs -: Sikhs are people who follow Sikhism, a religion that started in India. They often wear turbans and have a strong sense of community and service.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
religious freedom -: Religious freedom means that people can follow any religion they choose without being punished or treated badly.
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the government who is in charge of a specific department, like education or health.
Ravneet Singh Bittu -: Ravneet Singh Bittu is a politician from the Congress party in India. He is a Member of Parliament.
terrorist -: A terrorist is someone who uses violence to scare people and achieve political goals. It is a very serious accusation.
legal action -: Legal action means using the law to solve a problem, like going to court.
police complaint -: A police complaint is when someone tells the police about a problem or crime, asking them to investigate.
Public Interest Litigation -: Public Interest Litigation, or PIL, is a legal action taken to protect the public’s interest, like clean air or safe roads.
