Congress should forget ‘Bharat jodo’, focus on ‘parivar chhodo’: BJP on Azad’s resignation
New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) The BJP claimed on Friday that Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation from the Congress reflects “a vote of no-confidence” in the leadership of the opposition party, which has now become a “family firm”.
The Congress should forget “Bharat jodo” (unify India) and undertake a “Parivar chhodo” (quit family) exercise,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a party statement, taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi’s proposed “Bharat jodo yatra”.
Poonawalla said Azad’s resignation letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi reflects how it is impossible for any person to be “azad” (free) in the Congress and one can only be a “ghulam or darbari” (slave) in the party.
“In fact, the INC should not be called Indian National Congress but I Need Coterie,” he said.
The BJP spokesperson noted that a number of senior Congress leaders quit the party in the last few years and identified the same issues as flagged by Azad for their decision.
“Yet, the Congress continues to put Parivar above performance and sycophancy above merit and engages in ‘Beta Bachao’ rather than ‘Party Bachao’,” he alleged.
“It also exposes the lack of internal democracy, accountability and elections within the Congress, and also how the first family of the Congress believes in remote controlling rather than allowing transparency and accountability,” he further claimed.
If anyone raises his or her voice for ensuring these reforms, they are “insulted” and thrown out of the party, Poonawalla said, alleging that this shows the lack of tolerance within the Congress.
“Ironically, the Congress party preaches democracy across the country but has made itself democracy-free,” he said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina claimed that Azad was forced to resign from the Congress as he was insulted and harassed in the party, which is a sunken ship now.
“Azad’s resignation shows there is no internal democracy in the Congress and it runs through a remote control. It also establishes the fact that the Congress only cares for one family and there is no space for other leaders,” Raina told reporters.
Stating that Azad “sweated blood” for decades while serving the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, “He was forced to resign as he was insulted and humiliated in the party.”
He further said the Congress was already a sinking ship and with Azad’s resignation, it is a “sunken ship” now.
When Azad retired from the Rajya Sabha in February last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was overcome by emotions reminiscing about his close association with the former leader of opposition in the Upper House of Parliament.
Modi had said it would be difficult for anyone to fill the shoes of Azad as he cared not only about his political affiliation but also about the country and the House.
