Anurag Thakur Demands Apology From Congress Over "Rakshas" Remark

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over a remark by a leader of his party that people voting for the BJP have "demonic tendency", saying this reflects the "arrogance" of the opposition party.

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said in Jaipur on Monday that the present political fight in the country is going on between "demons and humans", referring to party colleague Randeep Singh Surjewala's remarks calling those voting for the BJP as having "demonic tendency".

Mr Surjewala sparked a row with his remarks on Sunday, calling the ruling BJP and JJP in Haryana as parties of "demons" and also said those who vote for and support the BJP are of "demonic tendency".

In a statement issued here, Anurag Thakur said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra can contest elections from anywhere but the party should "at least not term voters as demons".

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra has said that his wife Priyanka Gandhi would be "very good" in Parliament and hoped that the party plans better for her. His remarks come ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Union minister for information and broadcasting said, "Priyanka Gandhi is free to contest elections from anywhere, but the Congress should stop calling voters as demons." "Priyanka Gandhi is welcome to contest elections from anywhere, but she should not emulate Rahul Gandhi, who criticised people of north India after winning elections from Wayanad (in Kerala)," Mr Thakur said. Rahul Gandhi represents Wayanad in the Lower House of Parliament.

"The Congress is calling the people of India demons. This is the same party that had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'neech', scorpion and merchant of death. Such comments reflect Congress' despair and disappointment," Mr Thakur said.

He said the Nehru-Gandhi "dynasty" never apologises to anyone because of its arrogance. Hence, the 'ghamandia' alliance is calling voters as demons, the Union minister said referring to the opposition INDIA bloc.

"I demand that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge tender an apology to the nation in this regard, failing which the people will give a befitting reply to the Congress," Anurag Thakur said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)