Indian Federal Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday hit out at Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for comparing her Gandhi family with that of Lord Rama's dynasty, suggesting nothing could be more unfortunate than such an analogy.
“Hey Prabhu (O God!), India only had to wait to see this day. A family, which believes itself being above India's democracy, above Parliament, above the country, that family is now equating itself with Lord Rama,” Thakur said, when speaking to the media outside the Parliament.
When the Information and Broadcasting Minister was asked about Vadra’s Sunday remarks, he replied: “This arrogance of the brother and sister. The entire nation is watching. Let alone the country, now they are not even sparing Lord Ram.”
On Sunday, while addressing a public rally organized by the Congress party to protest the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a parliamentarian, Vadra slammed the BJP for labeling Congress as a “dynastic” party.
“They (the BJP) accuse us of dynasticism…then what was Lord Rama? He was exiled but still fulfilled his responsibilities towards his family and motherland. Was this dynasticism? Did the Pandavas indulge in dynasticism,” she stated.
Bad Blood Between BJP and Congress
Thakur, who also holds the portfolio of Sports Minister, also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi over his statement about Veer Savarkar, the deceased Hindu ideologue and nationalist leader held in high esteem by the BJP and its parental organization Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).
The BJP politician said that Rahul Gandhi can never be Savarkar even in his “best dreams” as it would require a strong determination and love for the country.
Citing the reason why Gandhi can’t be Savarkar, the minister stated that it is because the freedom fighter neither travelled abroad for six months of the year, nor sought help from foreigners against his country.
The minister was commenting on Rahul Gandhi’s visit to London where he made remarks about democracy in India.
Earlier on Sunday, the minister in a series of tweets also slammed Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Savarkar.
Thakur even posted a YouTube video link in a tweet and said that a documentary on Savarkar was released by the federal government when Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, was Prime Minister to “acknowledge his valor, sacrifice and selfless service to the nation”.
“Just imagine, a person whose grandmother honored the great personality Veer Savarkar and none of the great men of that era spoke ill about him. By saying all these things, Rahul Gandhi is not insulting Savarkar actually but his grandmother, (other freedom fighters such as) Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh and even Mahatma Gandhi,” Thakur stated.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, refused to apologize for his remarks made in London, saying, it is because he was Savarkar, who is accused by the Congress party of once apologizing to the British government for his release from jail during the freedom movement.