On Saturday, June 3, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his controversial statements against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies during his recent ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukan’ farce in the US.
During his interaction with the Indian diaspora in South Africa’s Cape Town, EAM Jaishankar said, “Look, I can only talk for myself I try when I go abroad not to do politics. I’m perfectly prepared to argue and argue very vigorously at home. Okay, so you will never find me wanting in that regard.”
Minister Jaishankar further stressed that there are certain collective responsibilities and national interests that are paramount when a political leader steps outside the country.
“But I think you know, even a democratic culture has a certain collective responsibility. There is a national interest there is a collective image. There are sometimes things bigger than politics and when you step outside the country, I think that’s important to remember,” Jaishankar asserted.
“So I might differ strongly with someone. I could say to you, I differ with them. But how I counter it, I would like to go back home and do it. And watch me when I get back,” EAM Jaishankar added.
#WATCH | …"There are sometimes, things bigger than politics & when you step outside the country, that is important to remember…I differ with them but how I counter it, I would like to go home and do it. Watch me when I get back": EAM S Jaishankar when asked about Congress… pic.twitter.com/7h0YutokpH
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023
This comes after Rahul Gandhi, at an event on Wednesday during his 10-day US tour called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “specimen” saying that “there are many such people in India who are absolutely convinced that they know everything, in fact, I think, maybe they think know more than the God and they could sit down and talk with God and explain to him what is going on, and our prime minister is one such specimen.”
Moreover, Rahul Gandhi on 31 May claimed that minorities like Muslims and Sikhs are under attack in India. Answering a question from the ‘Bay Area Muslim community’ over alleged ‘threats to Muslims’ in India after his speech in Santa Clara in California, Rahul Gandhi said that Muslims and other minorities are feeling attacked in India. He said that it is “felt most strongly by the Muslim community because it is done most directly to them. But in fact, it is being done to all minorities.”
He then added, ‘The way Muslims are feeling attacked, I can guarantee Sikhs, Christians, Dalits and Tribals are feeling the same. What is happening to Muslims in India today happened to Dalits in the 1980s’.
Furthermore, the Congress leader during his interaction with the entrepreneurs in Washington claimed that his phone is being tapped.
Rahul Gandhi said that he was aware that his phone was being tapped but was unbothered about it. On his iPhone, he jokingly said, “Hello! Modi Ji.”
“I presume my iPhone is being tapped. You need to establish rules with regard to the privacy of data information as a nation and also as an individual. If a nation-state decides that they want to tap your phone, no one can stop you. This is my sense,” he stated.
Gandhi further said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seized control of all institutions in India and that the opposition is in a state of flux. He also mocked the Sengol and the new parliament building suggesting that it is a move by the Modi government to distract the people from ‘real issues’.
