Unite Rajasthan Congress leaders first: BJP MP C P Joshi's dig at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra

BJP member C P Joshi on Tuesday hit out at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying he should first bring together the warring Congress factions in Rajasthan before thinking of uniting the nation.

Initiating a debate in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Joshi also lashed out at the Congress, saying it "partitioned" with an eye on the chair of prime minister.

"You have embarked on Bharat Jodo (uniting India). But first at least unite the two leaders in Rajasthan. One says the other is a magician who leaks question papers without opening the vault, the other says the party is infected with corona, calls him ‘naalayak’ (worthless)," Joshi, a Lok Sabha member from Rajasthan's Chittorgarh, said.

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The BJP member was referring to the rivalry between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire and chief ministerial aspirant Sachin Pilot.

Joshi also wondered how one can talk of uniting the country by standing alongside those who raised "anti-national" slogans in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and talked of separating Kashmir from India.

"For the prime minister's chair, you partitioned my country. There were dead bodies from Lahore to Delhi. But those running after power were celebrating in Lahore and Delhi," Joshi said.

The BJP member said through various initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had united the country spiritually and digitally. He also united it through rail, road and air networks, and connected farmers with markets.

"This has given rise to slogans 'Modi hai toh mumkin hai'. We come from a party that works towards uniting the nation," the BJP MP said.

Taking a dig at the opposition, he said those who refused to see each other's faces walking arm-in-arm these days.

"Our government, our party have even united them," Joshi said, gesturing at the opposition benches.

He said it was the Modi government that has ensured that the Indian tricolour flutters with pride. The BJP government has instilled the spirit of nationalism from the Lal Chowk in Kashmir to every street and corner of the country, he said.

The BJP member said the respect for national tricolour was also seen when Russia and Ukraine stopped their war to allow Indian citizens, stuck in the war zone, to move to safety.

He said there was rampant corruption and terrorism in the country before 2014 and Modi winning the Lok Sabha elections with a record-breaking mandate brought a ray of hope.

Joshi said people reposed faith in Modi by electing him with an even greater majority in 2019.

Earlier, Joshi virtually drew comparisons between Modi and Lord Ram recalling instances from Ramayana.

"In the Treta Yug, Maata Shabri was eager to welcome Prabhu Shri Ram. During this joint session when the Honourable President was entering Parliament, it was felt that Prabhu Shri Ram was welcoming Maata Shabri at the door steps of Parliament to honour her," Joshi said.