Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statement on the political divide of North and South has triggered a war of words between the BJP and the Congress. Union Minister Smriti Irani in an exclusive chat with The Sunday Guardian said that Rahul Gandhi is doing politics of hate and only he and his family are to be blamed for the dwindling fortune of the Congress.
Q: Rahul Gandhi has given a speech in which he said that the politics of North India is superficial and the politics of Kerala and South India is very deep; what do you think about his statement?
A: I think the public will never support Rahul Gandhi’s politics of putting divide among states. He introduced the politics of divisiveness and spewing poison against the states. When he went to Assam, he stunned everyone with the kind of insults he heaped on Gujarat and Gujaratis and on Tuesday everyone knows what happened to Congress in Gujarat which was trounced badly. In coming times, if Rahul Gandhi has a misconception that, if he will continue to humiliate the people in this way, then the base of the Congress will increase. Then I should say, which I may have said earlier before, that leaders of Congress are left in the Lok Sabha now, will shrink further in 2024. And if anyone gets credit for this, then only and only will go to Rahul Gandhi.
Q: On one hand, Rahul Gandhi says that the north Indians do not understand politics, do not understand the in-depth, superficial, in the same way Priyanka Gandhi; on the other hand, is touring the state, attending the mahapanchayat, what do you think of that?
A: Priyanka Vadra is trying to sail the boat, Rahul Gandhi is trying to sink the boat, this is his family matter. However, it is also true that even after this statement will be made for 24 hours, but insult to North India, even after trying to put foot in India. Not a single Congress leader denied this. And what did the leaders of Congress have towards Rahul Gandhi, you saw in Puducherry in this public meeting, he misinterpreted the former Chief Minister, which also shows towards a woman that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi do not give due importance to intelligence.
Q: Again and again, he is giving a statement about Giriraj Singh’s ministry of fisheries; today again he said that when he comes to power, he will make it a department. What is your opinion on this statement?
A: The first thing is that they will never be able to come in majority, because liars like him won’t get it. The second thing is that in Parliament he asked a question in Parliament related to the Ministry of Fisheries. So, either Rahul Gandhi was not present in the House and that question was asked by his proxy and if you look at the Constitution, it’s a crime to do this and secondly, when he knows that there is a ministry as Giriraj Singh has told him a couple of days back on this issue. So, Rahul Gandhi is either making fun of people of Kerala or he is repeating his lie.
Q: You are an MP from Amethi and Rahul Gandhi was an MP from Amethi. Do you think he should apologise for his statement?
A: I have always said that Amethi is like my family and if anyone repeatedly insults my family and then apologises, I don’t think that would be enough. I don’t think Rahul Gandhi has that humility that he would apologise.