Congress leader Pawan Khera.
Credit: PTI Photo
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said here on Monday that the present political fight in the country is going on between "demons and humans", referring to party colleague Randeep Singh Surjewala's remarks calling those voting for the ruling party as having "demonic tendencies".
He also said the country needs a responsible prime minister, not a "publicity minister".
To a question on Surjewala's comment at a recent rally in Haryana, Khera said, "The prime minister spoke for 2 hours and 13 minutes in Parliament. Sloppy jokes were cracked. Slogans were raised. You have seen what happened to women in Manipur. So, you tell me if this is not a demonic mentality, then what is?"
"The women of our country are being misbehaved with and raped openly and the prime minister is leading in cracking sloppy jokes in Parliament. In the history of this country, I have seen many prime ministers. I have seen different prime ministers belonging to different parties. But, I have not seen such a prime minister who is cracking jokes, that too shallow ones, when one part of the country is burning."
He said he completely agrees with Surjewala's comment that there is a fight going on today between demons and humans.
"I completely agree with his point that the fight that is going on today, the struggle that is going on, is between demons and humans. There is no doubt about it," Khera said.
"This country needs a responsible prime minister, not a publicity minister," he said.
Surjewala sparked a row with his remarks on Sunday, calling the BJP and the JJP as parties of "demons" and also said those who vote for and support the BJP are of 'demonic tendency'.
On Monday, Surjewala put out a clarification, defending his comments and accusing the BJP of clinging onto words to murder the issues raised by him. This government repeatedly tries to hide its failures behind emotional issues, he alleged.
Citing several alleged failures of the government, including communal violence in Nuh, he said, "Are those who have thrown society into the fire of hate and killed the dreams of youngsters are any less than demons?"
Khera, who has come out in Surjewala's support, expressed confidence that the Congress would win again in Rajasthan and break the "custom of changing the government" in every election in the state.
He said, "The happiness that is seen among the people regarding the plans of (Chief Minister) Ashok Gehlot makes us believe that this time the custom will be broken and the Congress government will come again."
Replying to a question that the BJP is targeting the state government over law and order issues, Khera said it is ironic that "the BJP people do not read the figures of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released by their own central government".
He said, "The data of their government tells what is happening in Uttar Pradesh or Assam or other states. Our mentality is not to compare states. A crime is a crime. What is wrong is wrong. But, you can definitely compare how aware the government is."
He further said, "Whenever such an incident took place, the Gehlot government gave an example to the whole country by taking quick action. We are not like them that when there is an incident in Kathua, Unnao or Hathras, we go and stand with the rapists."