New Delhi: With polling for Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana scheduled on May 12 and 19, the BJP intends to further intensify its attack on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to bait the Congress into a war of words.
The BJP is trying desperately to force the Congress into a debate as it would offer the party an opportunity to revive the issue of 1984 Sikh riots which spanned across all the regions going to polls in the last two phases of general elections.
So far the Congress has not just tried to adroitly evade the issue, but Congress president Rahul Gandhi went to the extent of expressing his “love” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been spearheading the charge against his father. Mr Modi had said on Saturday, “Your father was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘Bhrastachari Number 1’ (corrupt number 1)”.
The Congress chief had responded to Mr Modi’s recent attack on his father who was assassinated in May 1991 with a tweet in which he sent the Prime Minister his love, and hugs.
However, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had called the PM’s remark an insult to a politician who had laid down his life for the country.
The BJP also intends to raise the issue of the Bhopal Gas tragedy to link Rajiv Gandhi to the then Union Carbide chief, Warren Anderson. Saffron brigade’s controversial candidate, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, has locked horns with Congress heavyweight and former chief minister Digvijay Singh in the constituency.
Meanwhile, continuing his attacks on the Congress, Mr Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing counter-strike at Mr Gandhi with a list of abuses hurled at him before and after he become the Prime Minister.
Speaking at an election rally in Haryana’s Kurukshetra, Mr Modi said he had decided to speak about the various descriptors that had been used for him to unmask the veil of love that was being spoken about by Congress leaders. “Do you want to hear what words they used for me from their dictionary of love? How they expressed their love,” he said before listing several abusive words.
BJP sources stated that Rajiv Gandhi’s name is being raked up by senior leadership of the party as it feels that there is need to bring out “issues” related to the former Prime Minister that have not been “adequately addressed”. The BJP feels that the victims of anti-Sikh riots in these states and Bhopal gas tragedy have not been financially and emotionally compensated. “These are emotive issues and people in these regions still haven’t found closure,” a BJP leader added.
The Congress, however, continued to shy away from getting drawn into a slugfest over the former the Prime Minister and asked the BJP to explain the “economic mess” it has left the country in.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, former finance minister P. Chidambaram said, “The political leadership is interfering in Central Statistical Organisation and ensuring that the true economic picture does not come out.”
Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh go to polls in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled for May 12. Punjab and Chandigarh will be voting on May 19. The BJP hopes to do well in Punjab, while it aims to retain a majority of the seats in Delhi, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
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