NEW DELHI, Aug 14: The Congress national spokesman Randeep Surjewala has courted a huge controversy branding the BJP and its supporters as “Rakshas” (demons) saying that the BJP members and those who vote for the party were no less than demons.
“The ruling party and those who vote for it are “Rakshas (demons),” Surjewala said at a public meeting in Kaithal in Haryana, drawing sharp condemnation from the BJP, which rules the state. “The people of BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) are ‘rakshas’ and those who vote for the party and support them are ‘rakshas’ too,” Surjewala said. “Today, I curse them from this land of Mahabharat,” the Congress leader thundered.
Another Congress leader Pawan Khera said he completely agreed with Surjewala’s comment that there was a fight going on between demons and humans.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was among the BJP leaders who ripped into Surjewala, saying comments like this would doom the Congress to remain in the Opposition forever. “Repeated electoral losses have pushed the Congress into irrelevance. They are going from Congress to irrelevance,” Puri said. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took on Rahul Gandhi and said: “Having failed to launch the prince again and again, the Congress has now started abusing the public.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan targeted Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. “What do Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi believe? Do you consider the public “rakshas”? Is this your Mohabbat ki dukaan?” asked Chouhan. “You are cursing people. You consider yourself a God. Is this your ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan’?” he quipped.
The Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar warned the Congress leaders that the state government had taken note of such objectionable remarks and said it would look into the speech. “Only a person born into a family of ‘rakshas’ tendency can think of using such indecent language. We will definitely take cognisance of this,” Khattar said.
In a statement on X, Surjewala further accused the BJP of hiding its failures behind emotional issues. The Congress leader cited what he said were the failures of the Central government. “Are those who throw the society in the fire of hatred and kill the dreams of young talents, less than demons? These people want to kill issues by grabbing words. This government constantly wants to hide its failures behind emotional issues,” he said.
“As a people’s representative, it is my religion to raise public issues and to look into the eyes of those in power and ask public related questions! I will continue to follow this religion till my last breath!” Surjewala posted.
(Manas Dasgupta)
