"PM Should Have Set Different Example": Priyanka Gandhi On Mallikarjun Kharge Letter

Expressing disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not reply to a letter by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and, instead, got BJP President JP Nadda to pen an "inferior and aggressive" response, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has said there is a lot of poison in today's politics and the PM should have set a different example. 

Mr Kharge had written to PM Modi on Tuesday and asked him to "discipline" BJP leaders for their "objectionable and violent" statements against senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. 

In his letter, the Congress president had highlighted statements by Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu and UP Minister Raghuraj Singh calling Mr Gandhi "number one terrorist", and Sanjay Gaikwad, an MLA from BJP ally Shiv Sena, announcing that he would give Rs 11 lakh to anyone chopping off the Congress leader's tongue for his remarks made in the US on scrapping the reservation system.  

Mr Nadda responded on Thursday and, besides listing the abuses hurled at PM Modi by Congress leaders in the past, took a dig at Mr Gandhi and said the party has attempted once again to polish and relaunch a "failed product" which had been rejected by people several times. 

Taking to X on Friday, Priyanka Gandhi said Mr Kharge is a senior leader and older than the Prime Minister - the Congress president is 82 while the PM turned 74 this month - and asked why he had been disrespected. 

"If the Prime Minister had faith in democratic values, equal dialogue and respect for elders, he would have personally responded to this (Mr Kharge's) letter. Instead, he got an inferior and aggressive response written by Nadda ji and sent it," Ms Gandhi wrote in Hindi. 

The senior Congress leader said asking questions and communicating are part of the ethos of democracy and even religion states that no one is above values like dignity and etiquette. 

"There is a lot of poison in today's politics, the Prime Minister should have set a different example by keeping the dignity of his post. If he had respectfully replied to the letter of a senior colleague politician, his image and dignity would have increased in the eyes of the public," she said, adding, "It is unfortunate that our leaders in the highest positions in the government have rejected these great traditions."

Rahul Gandhi has been taking fire from BJP leaders, with the charge being led by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, for his statements during his recent visit to the US in which he spoke about scrapping reservations when India "is a fair place" and on the issue of religious freedoms. He clarified the reservation remark later and said it was misrepresented, adding that the Congress wanted to take reservation beyond the cap of 50%.

At an event in Gujarat on Monday PM Modi did not name Mr Gandhi but said some people were acting against the interests of the country. "Some people filled with negativity are targeting India's unity. Those filled with hate are not leaving any chance to defame India and Gujarat... they want to do 'tukde, tukde' of the country (break it up)," he said.