Maharashtra BJP stages protest against Rahul Gandhi over quota remarks; Congress calls it drama

Mumbai: As Maharashtra gears up for Vidhan Sabha polls, the BJP and Congress on Friday staged parallel demonstrations over Rahul Gandhi’s statement on reservation and death threats to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, respectively.

At a function in the Georgetown University, Washington, Gandhi said that the Congress would think of scrapping reservations when “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case right now.

Speaking at a function in Herndon, Virginia, on Monday, the Congress leader said, ”The fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a turban...whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear a kada or go to the Gurudwara. That's what the fight is about, and it's not just for Sikhs, but for all religions.”

Reacting to the statement on reservations, state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said it was necessary to stage a protest to tell people about Gandhi’s bias against reservation.

“If Congress comes to power in the future, reservation will be gone, as Congress has always been anti-Dalit and against reservations,” said Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar.

However, Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat accused the saffron party of spreading fake news and doing drama.

“What are BJP leaders protesting for? They don’t even feel the need to verify information. But people will not be swayed by their fake narrative. People know that it is the BJP that is anti-Constitution and anti-reservation,” he said.

On the other hand, Congress has lashed out at death threats by BJP leader Tarvinder Singh Marwah who said, "Rahul Gandhi baaz aaja nahi toh aane wale time mein tera bhi wohi haal hoga jo teri dadi ka haal hua (Rahul Gandhi, refrain from such things, otherwise in the coming time, you will also suffer the same fate as your grandmother)”.

Coming down heavily, Congress President Nana Patole said, ”Marwah’s statement reflects the true face of the BJP.

"BJP has an allergy to the name "Gandhi," which is why, from Modi to all other leaders, they consistently defame Rahul Gandhi. Now, the BJP has crossed all limits. Based on a single statement by Rahul Gandhi, they have threatened to kill him like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi”.