The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday seized on Congress leader Randeep Surjewala’s comments describing those voting for the ruling party as having “demonic tendencies” and said it has begun abusing voters after failing to launch its “prince”, in reference to Rahul Gandhi. Several BJP leaders shared a clip of the Congress general secretary’s remarks at a rally in Haryana to hit out at the Opposition parties. Lashing out at the BJP government in Haryana, the Congress leader likened it to a demon. Repeated electoral losses have pushed the Congress into irrelevance and such nonsensical comments indicated that the party had decided to remain permanently in opposition, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. “Having failed to launch the prince again and again, the Congress has now started abusing the public,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
“On the one hand, there is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seen as a form of ‘janardan’ by 140 crore countrymen, and on the other, there is the Congress which considers people as demons,” he said. “People of the country understand this difference very well and will work to shut down the mega shopping mall of their hatred,” he said. BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya claimed that it is due to this kind of mindset of the Congress, its top leadership and their courtiers that they have lost the support of people. But they have to face more humiliation in the people’s court, he added. As a row erupted, Surjewala put out a clarification, defending his comments and accusing the BJP of clinging onto words to murder the issues raised by him. This government repeatedly tries to hide its failures behind emotional issues. Citing several alleged failures of the government, including communal violence in Nuh, he said, “If those who have thrown the society into the fire of hate and killed the dreams of youngsters are any less than demons?”
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also responded to the Congress leader’s comments on Monday, saying, “a person born in a family of ‘demonic tendencies’ can only think of using such indecent language.” Haryana Deputy CM and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala also lashed out at Surjewala. “Calling voters that they are of ‘raakshas pravarti’ reflects his mentality…We consider voters as our god. They cast their votes to steer the country in the right direction and they call them ‘raakshas’, it is [Congress’] low thinking,” said Chautala. Surjewala sparked a row with his remarks on Sunday, calling the BJP and the JJP as parties of “demons” and also said those who vote for and support the BJP are of “demonic tendency”.
