Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 12 : BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Saturday criticised Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge for his recent statements, accusing the Congress party of having a divisive and communal mindset similar to the colonial British.
Kesavan said, "Kharge's remarks further expose the Congress party's prejudiced, and toxic communal mindset and ideology of divide and rule, similar to that of the colonial British. The nation should not forget when the Congress talks about terrorism, how it equated terrorism with the Hindu community."
The BJP spokesperson then pointed to past statements made by Congress leaders, highlighting the party's controversial stance on terrorism.
"In 2013, it was no less than a Union Minister of the Congress UPA government, Sushil Kumar Shinde, who derogatorily talked about Hindu terrorism. He said training camps promote Hindu terrorism in the country. This is the mindset of the Congress party," Kesavan stated.
He also referenced former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's term "saffron terrorism," to further emphasise Congress's divisive rhetoric.
Kesavan argued that Congress has always followed a divide-and-rule policy since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru."The Congress party since Nehru's days has always been following a divide-and-rule policy with its main aim of political appeasement for its vote bank politics. Be it the flawed Kashmir policy which now has been course corrected by our Prime Minister Modi ji or how, you know, Nehru tried to prevent the then president Rajendra Prasad from going for the inauguration of the glorious Somnath temple or even you know, reprints of the constitution which failed to carry the images of Lord Rama and Krishna which were there in the original constitution. This is the history of the Congress party", he said.
The BJP spokesperson also added that the Congress party's recent electoral defeats have left it desperate, resorting to appeasement politics, but assured that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will continue to protect the rights of Dalits, tribals, and OBC communities as promised by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge sharply rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that Congress is controlled by "Urban Naxals" and accused the BJP of being a party of terrorists responsible for lynchings and heinous crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and tribals.
Kharge said, "Progressive people are being called Urban Naxals... this is his (PM Modi's) habit. His party (BJP) itself is a terrorist party. They engage in lynching, assault people, urinate in the mouths of Scheduled Castes members, and rape tribal people. They also support those who commit these acts, and then they blame others."
"Wherever his government is in power, atrocities are committed against people from Scheduled Castes, especially tribals. Then he talks about these atrocities... It is his government, he can control it", he added.
Kharge's statement comes amidst a heated political climate, with the Congress party pushing back against allegations made by the BJP. In recent times, Kharge has been vocal about his concerns regarding the BJP's governance, accusing them of spreading hatred and divisiveness.
Meanwhile, the Congress President also hit out at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat over his remarks on the condition of minorities in Bangladesh with party president Mallikarjun Kharge accusing him of supporting a party "which wants disunity in the country."
Kharge said, "You (Bhagwat) are the one who supports the party (BJP) which wants disunity in the country. It starts with changing the Constitution, ending reservation, and then speaking different things about Muslims."