Gandhi family 'completely compromised', says Piyush Goyal hitting back

Union Minister Piyush Goyal slammed Rahul Gandhi and his family, calling them 'completely compromised'. He accused the Congress leader of being a 'poster boy of negative politics' and a 'puppet of foreign powers' in a sharp counter-attack.

Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi over his attack on the BJP-led government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday alleged that the Gandhi family "is a completely compromised political family" and Congress is "a compromised political party". Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Goyal also slammed former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru over some of their decisions. Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been attacking the government with "PM is compromised" allegations over the India-US Interim Trade Agreement.

Goyal accused Congress of "corruption" and said "Rahul Gandhi means compromise". With the BJP and Congress locking horns over the "shirtless protest" of the Indian Youth Congress during the AI Summit, Goyal alleged that "Rahul Gandhi has become the poster boy of negative politics". "The Gandhi family is a completely compromised political family. Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party are a compromised family, a compromised political party. Rahul Gandhi means compromise. Look at the Congress party's history or its present, whether it's the various tales of corruption, how they compromise public interest and national interest under the influence of foreign powers, there are countless examples before the country and the public of how they completely compromise the country and its bright future, the bright future of its citizens. Rahul Gandhi has become the poster boy of negative politics," he said.

Goyal calls Rahul Gandhi 'puppet of foreign powers'

Goyal also alleged that Rahul Gandhi is "a puppet of foreign powers, anti-India forces, anti-India organisations and anti-India governments". "Rahul Gandhi has, in a way, demonstrated a high-handed approach to politics before the nation and the world. He is nothing but a puppet of foreign powers, anti-India forces, anti-India organisations, and anti-India governments. This is the compromise Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family are making today: whether in Parliament, whether outside, whether in a press conference. We have seen his behaviour with the press," Goyal said.

"You can't even ask an uncomfortable question to Rahul Gandhi without being tagged as a BJP-associated press person. He only wants curated press conferences. He can't take questions other than those he's given in writing. Such a person is leading the Congress party and playing with the country. They are completely putting the interests of the countrymen at stake, and perhaps they cannot tolerate the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new India, the emerging economy, and India's dominance in the emerging world. Therefore, they repeatedly compromise national and national interests by telling lies upon lies. And this isn't a recent incident," he alleged.

Historical allegations against Gandhi family

The BJP leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi wielded extra-constitutional powers even during Manmohan Singh's government. "Sometimes, they even tore up cabinet decisions in front of the press. Disrespecting the Prime Minister, running the government through the National Advisory Council, and imposing a leftist ideology on the country? Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi used to run a parallel cabinet and compromise the country. It wasn't just Sonia and Rahul Gandhi who compromised the country. They didn't just compromise the country by pursuing their own politics on behalf of the Super PM. Rajiv Gandhi also never shied away from compromising the country," he alleged.

Rajiv Gandhi, Bofors and 1971 War

Goyal said India secured victory in 1971 war with Pakistan, but the gains were given away as India did not take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir while releasing Prisoners of War. "It wasn't just Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi who compromised the country... Rajiv Gandhi also never shied away from compromising the country. The (then) Foreign Minister tried to stop the investigation in the Bofors scandal by asking Swedish authorities to do so. We all know how, in order to protect his friend Ottavio Cataracci, an honest investigation was prevented. It's not known what role the Congress and Rajiv Gandhi played in Bofors," Goyal alleged.

Indira Gandhi and CIA Funding Allegations

"The Gandhi family tarnished the country before the world and compromised it. Indira Gandhi was no less compromising the country's interests. We saw how Ambassador Moynihan confirmed that the CIA repeatedly provided funds to the Congress party for elections, and that the Congress party ran its politics through the CIA," he further alleged.

Other BJP leaders echo allegations

Earlier today, BJP president Nitin Nabin also accused the Nehru-Gandhi family of pursuing a "compromise mission" that prioritised personal and foreign interests over national welfare, describing Rahul Gandhi as a "puppet of foreign powers".

Background: Indian Youth Congress Protest

Last week, Indian Youth Congress members staged a "shirtless protest" at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit. IYC chief Uday Bhanu Chib was arrested on Tuesday in connection with an ongoing investigation into the protest. Later, a Delhi court granted four days' police custody of Chib in connection with the case. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)