Says Congress’s Politics Setting New Lows
New Delhi, Oct 26 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday hit out at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his alleged remark concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father, saying the comment had left him “stunned and deeply hurt” and reflected the Congress’s “ideological downfall.”
In a statement, Singh said the most shocking aspect of the episode was that the remark was not made by an ordinary party worker or a young leader but by the national president of a party that describes itself as the country’s “oldest political party.”
“The Congress President has, through his conduct, hurt the sentiments of crores of countrymen. But the Congress did not stop there. It is now justifying Kharge ji’s words and once again hurting people’s sentiments,” Singh said.
He said that instead of admitting the mistake and expressing regret, the Congress was “busy vindicating and defending” the statement.
Singh said the occupant of the Congress president’s post is expected to display “greater seriousness, restraint, dignity and responsible conduct” in public life, and that such language from the party’s top leader “not only goes against the dignity of his office but also raises serious questions about the Congress’s political culture.”
“Political opposition is one thing, but such conduct cannot be acceptable under any circumstances,” he said, accusing some Congress leaders of having earlier mocked the Prime Minister’s “simple family background” and used “indecent language” against his mother.
“Today, that same degraded politics has reached the top leadership of the Congress. The level of Congress’s politics is setting new records of decline every day,” Singh said.
He said turning ideological opposition into personal insult and targeting the Prime Minister’s family reflected the Congress’s “desperation and ideological emptiness,” adding that it was “not just an insult to one person or family but an attack on the dignity of Indian politics.”
Urging the Opposition to question policies and criticise the government while respecting “personal dignity,” Singh said the Congress should remember that “in a democracy, the people keep an account of everything and give an answer when the time comes.”
He also asserted that Prime Minister Modi “can neither be perturbed by such remarks nor can his resolve for public service be weakened.”
