"Why Are They Not Going To Amethi?": BJP Leader On Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra

BJP leader Sudhanshu Tripathi on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "divisive policies" remarks against the party and said that it resembles former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's statement of 'Hum Do, Hamare Do'.

Mr Tripathi alleged that the former prime minister's remarks made fun of the BJP, which then had two MPs in the Lok Sabha, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani.

Earlier Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Fear becomes compulsion and fear turns into hate. People should remain entangled, and the rule of 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' continues. This is the purpose of BJP's divisive policies."

Retorting to the remarks, the BJP leader said, "Rahul Gandhi's father Rajiv Gandhi had said the same words 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' inside the Parliament. He had made fun of the BJP. But irrespective of the number of our party leaders, all our MPs are dedicated to the country. Their leaders are dedicated to only one family."

"There is only one slogan raised in our rallies, be it PM Modi's rally or JP Nadda's rally, that is Bharat Mata Ki Jai, and Vande Mataram. But in Congress rallies, slogans hailing their leaders are raised," he added.

Mr Tripathi further lashed out at the Congress party for not visiting Himachal and Gujarat, which are slated to go to Assembly polls.

"Rahul Gandhi is taking out the yatra. What is the fear due to which he did not visit Himachal and Gujarat? Congress calls itself a follower of Gandhi ji, Why did they not visit his place?" he said.

"Why are they not going to Sardar Patel's place or Subhas Chandra Bose's place? Why are they not going to Amethi or Raebareli?" Mr Tripathi added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda is to develop fear in the minds of people on the basis of discrimination and then convert that fear into hate between religions and castes.

Addressing a gathering in the Nanded district of Maharashtra during Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress MP said, "BJP and RSS agenda is fixed, they first developed fear into people's mind, and then convert that fear into hate between religions and castes. We will continue our Bharat Jodo Yatra and it will end in Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar."

Slamming the Centre over demonetization, Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP government's decision destroyed poor farmers, small businessmen, shop owners and others.

"On this date, PM Narendra Modi came on television around 8 pm and said that his government is doing demonetization. He told the public that it was for the betterment of their life but demonetization destroyed farmers' life, poor people and small businessmen," he said.

The Congress leader further said that PM Modi failed in demonetization and he destroyed poor farmers' life and small MSME workers.

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