On Saturday, July 15, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Irani slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “silence” on the Manipur issue.
Calling Rahul Gandhi a “frustrated dynast”, Smriti Irani lambasted the Gandhi scion saying that Rahul Gandhi regularly seeks foreign intervention in India’s internal matters and mocks India when PM Modi received a national honour.
“A man who seeks international intervention in India’s internal matters, a frustrated dynast who sullies the ‘Make in India’ ambition mocks India when our PM receives a National honour. Rejected by people, he seethes as defence contracts no longer land at the doorstep of dynasty,” Irani tweeted.
A man who seeks international intervention in India’s internal matters, a frustrated dynast who sullies the ‘Make in India’ ambition mocks India when our PM receives a National honour. Rejected by people, he seethes as defence contracts no longer land at the doorstep of dynasty. https://t.co/OcpTPd7gdy
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 15, 2023
Irani’s tweet came in response to Gandhi’s tweet wherein he took a dig at PM Modi saying that while European Parliament is discussing India’s internal matter—Manipur violence, the prime minister Modi has not said anything on the issue. He also mocked India’s defence deal with France to procure Rafale Marine jets and PM Modi’s presence at the Bastille Day parade.
“Manipur burns. EU Parliament discusses India’s internal matter. PM hasn’t said a word on either! Meanwhile, Rafale gets him a ticket to the Bastille Day Parade.” Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Saturday.
Manipur burns. EU Parliament discusses India’s internal matter.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 15, 2023
PM hasn’t said a word on either!
Meanwhile, Rafale gets him a ticket to the Bastille Day Parade.
It is notable the European Parliament held an ‘urgent’ discussion on the Manipur issue on July 12th 2023 during its plenary session at Strasbourg. The discussion was scheduled under ‘Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the Rule of Law’.
The European Parliament’s move was met with severe criticism from the Indian government as the Ministry of External Affairs on July 13th issued a statement terming the European Parliament’s interference in India’s internal matters as not only unacceptable but also mirrors their colonial mindset. The MEA also advised to “utilize its time more productively on its internal issues.”
Irony died a painful death when a ‘disqualified’ MP Rahul Gandhi who has a track record of desperate attempts at seeking foreign intervention in India’s internal matters tried to corner PM Modi over European Parliament discussing the Manipur issue whose most members can hardly even locate Manipur on a map.
Recently, Rahul Gandhi was criticised by the BJP over his meeting with Sunita Vishwanath, the co-founder of a US-based organisation called “Hindus for Human Rights”. Notably, Vishwanath’s organisation, funded by George Soros, has a history of peddling vicious lies and propaganda against Hindus. BJP alleged that the Congress scion has links with controversial financier and billionaire George Soros.
OpIndia has in detail reported on how Rahul Gandhi over the last few years has been seeking foreign intervention in India’s internal issues. During his UK visit in March this year, Rahul Gandhi urged the US and Europe to intervene to “restore” democracy in India. Rahul claimed that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.
Rahul Gandhi’s attack on PM Modi over Rafale deal despite Supreme Court dismissing corruption allegations
As the Indian Navy was looking for options to replace its ageing fleet of MiG-29K, the Defence Ministry on July 13th approved a proposal to buy 26 Rafale fighter aircraft and three Scorpene class conventional submarines for the Indian Navy from France. It is worth noting that By the end of 2022, France had delivered all 36 Rafale fighter jets to India under a deal inked in September 2016.
In the year 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the opposition led a vicious campaign against the Narendra Modi government, spearheaded by the Congress party, to insinuate a scam in the Rafale deal. Multiple petitions were filed in the Supreme Court by Congress-friendly persons such as Prashant Bhushan and others, urging the court to intervene and mandate a court-monitored investigation into the deal. However, the Supreme Court rejected them in 2018, ruling them to be without merit. Later, in 2019, the Supreme Court denied review petitions as well.
Despite the Supreme Court verdict, Rahul Gandhi used the Rafale deal to attack PM Modi and score political points. The Congress scion led the infamous ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ campaign in 2019 alleging that Prime Minister Modi has been involved in alleged corruption in the Rafale deal. In April 2019, Gandhi while campaigning at a rally blatantly lied that the Supreme Court order says, “Chowkidar Chor Hai”. BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi had filed a contempt plea against the statement on which the SC had issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi. The court had stated that it has never said so.
Although PM Modi used the Congress Chowkidar Chor Hai jibe to his advantage with his hugely popular “Main Bhi Chowkidar” campaign, Rahul Gandhi had no choice but to tender an unconditional apology before the Supreme Court for “unintentionally and inadvertently” attributing the ‘Chowkidar Chow hai’ jibe against Prime Minister Modi to the court’s order on the Rafale Review petition.
Despite Rahul Gandhi and the opposition’s mudslinging against the Modi government and the prime minister the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance registered a historic victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
