Published 21:53 IST, January 24th 2021
BJP slams Rahul Gandhi's 'No need of Army if weavers used' quip; claims Forces insulted
Slamming Rahul Gandhi's speech remarking 'China won't dare to enter if weavers strengthened', BJP Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi on Sunday, alleged insult to Army
Slamming Rahul Gandhi's speech to weavers remarking 'China won't dare to enter if weavers strengthened', BJP Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi on Sunday, alleged that Gandhi had belittled sacrifices of the Army. Aghast at Gandhi's quip on not 'needing the Army at LAC', BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the Congress should have the 'guts to digest such speeches', BJP I-T chief Amit Malviya called Gandhi's ideas 'ridiculous'. Rahul Gandhi is currently on a 3-day tour in Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Karur.
BJP: "Rahul Gandhi belittled Army's sacrifice"
Rahul Gandhi's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' push
Earlier in the day, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi made a push strikingly similar to PM Modi's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', saying that if India's weavers, farmers and labourers were strengthened then China would not dare enter India. Connecting India-China LAC faceoff and push for 'self-reliant' India, he said that if India's small and medium industries were strengthened, then Chinese President will wear 'Made in India' shirt. Rahul Gandhi also held a roadshow in Erode claiming that the BJP had 'insulted Tamil Nadu'.
"Every act of the Indian govt is to strengthen 5-6 businessmen and weaken India's real strength - the labourers and weavers of India. If India's weavers, farmers, labourers are given opportunities then China would not dare to come into India. If India's small-medium factories are strong, President of China will be wearing a 'Made in India' shirt, Chinese people will drive Indian cars, Chinese people will fly Indian planes. You are using the Indian Army and Navy to protect India from China. If you use India's labourers, you will not need the Army at the borders," said Rahul Gandhi while interacting with the weavers' community in Erode.
Rahul Gandhi's southern sojourn
After attending the Jallikattu event in Madurai, Rahul Gandhi has returned to Tamil Nadu to campaign ahead of the state polls in April-May 2021. His 200-km roadshow began from Coimbatore district and the Congress leader visited Tiruppur, Odanilai, and Karur. In addition, the Congress leader will also visit Kerala, including his constituency Wayanad for two days from January 27. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry are set to go to polls apart from Assam and West Bengal. While the eastern Congress units have asked Gandhi to visit them, no date has been set yet. Congress and its ally DMK face the AIADMK-BJP combination apart from Kamal Haasan's MNM and an array of local parties.
Updated 21:53 IST, January 24th 2021