The Congress is in touch with “Left-wing extremist groups” that are fighting against the country and is extending support to such outfits that want to break the nation, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman charged in Chennai on Sunday.
Speaking at the 52nd anniversary of Thuglak magazine, Ms. Sitharaman said the party had since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, been associated with “fringe parties” such as the Communist parties and had given them various posts and foreign tours to Russia and Nepal.
“[Congress leader] Rahul Gandhi is going and standing at places and with such people who want to break the nation, something Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi wouldn’t have done. Congress is telling such groups that you go and protest and we will keep supporting you,” she claimed. “This is the kind of absentee politics that we don’t want in the country,” she said.
The minister said that when the BJP stated it wanted a “Congress- mukt Bharat” (Congress-free India), it meant certain behaviours that defined the Congress and other parties; behaviours such as absentee politics, elitism, blundering, corruption and dynastic politics.
Congress: No work on the ground
Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she charged that he behaved like the owner of the party and won’t do any work on the ground but will only tweet and go abroad. According to her, the country wanted an active Congress that would come for discussion, stand up for people’s issues.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India’ COVID vaccination rate, she claimed the Congress had created vaccine hesitancy in the country. “I am thankful that Narendra Modi was India’s Prime Minister when Covid happened. I cannot imagine what would have happened otherwise,” she said.
“The Congress said Article 370 could not be changed. But BJP proved it otherwise and even the Supreme Court has recognised it on a legal basis. Look at the Congress-ruled States. There’s so much corruption,” she said.
Attitude towards poor
Accusing the Congress of elitism, the minister said everyone knew who they were moving around with, but Congress leaders would go to poor people’s huts and take photos to fool everybody that they were with the poor.
On the issue of GST compensation, she said only Rs. 78,000 crore for two months for all the States in the country was pending and that all the remaining dues had been paid.
Further she said Tamil Nadu needed a national party to be in government and that everyone should work together to bring the BJP to power in the State.
Thuglak Editor S Gurumurthy and others participated in the event..
