Smriti Irani slams Rahul Gandhi's 'selective politics' on protests

BJP's Smriti Irani accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of 'selective politics' over his stand on protests by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Jharkhand, questioning why he didn't raise similar demands in other states or withdraw support from the government.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) National General Secretary Smriti Irani has targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his stand on the protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Jharkhand, alleging that he follows "selective politics". The BJP leader questioned why the Congress leader did not support similar demands in other states.

Referring to the agitation by Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) aspirants, the senior BJP leader accused Gandhi of 'selective politics' for continuing his alliance in the state despite the widespread protests. Speaking to ANI on Friday, she said, "Did Rahul Gandhi pull back his support from the Jharkhand government? No. Then is this Rahul Gandhi's selective politics? Did they ever raise a demand for resignation in this manner in Punjab or Kerala?"

Contrasting Development in Amethi

Smriti Irani also contrasted the current developmental efforts in the Amethi parliamentary constituency with its status during Rahul Gandhi's tenure as its representative, highlighting improvements in educational infrastructure made by the BJP government. "Leave aside the policy. When Rahul Gandhi was the MP from Amethi, children in schools used to study while sitting on the floor. It was the Modi-Yogi government that undertook the task of providing tables and chairs," she stated.

On Amit Shah's Challenge

Irani brought up the challenge posed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding discussions on key issues, alleging that the Congress leadership failed to step forward when the offer was made. "When the country's Home Minister publicly stated that he was ready for a discussion, did Congress leader Rahul Gandhi come forward to discuss it? So, who ran away?" Irani said.

Police Action During Jharkhand Protest

In Jharkhand, Ranchi city Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) KV Raman stated that police had to resort to mild force after protesters allegedly violated the route designated by the police administration during a demonstration in the city.

The protest was organised on Friday following a call by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission-Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JPSC-JSSC) Reform Forum, which had appealed to students to burn effigies of the Chief Minister across all 24 districts of Jharkhand in protest against the High Court's decision.

Irani on Jantar Mantar Protest

Targeting the Opposition over the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, the BJP leader questioned why the protesters did not raise similar demands for resignations in states governed by Opposition parties, such as Punjab, Kerala, or Jharkhand.

She further claimed that Rahul Gandhi intentionally skipped the protest site at Jantar Mantar to avoid sharing a platform with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership. "Did those who were protesting at Jantar Mantar go to Punjab, Keralam, or Jharkhand? Did they demand resignations in Punjab, Jharkhand, and Keralam after the Jantar Mantar protest? You witnessed a divided opposition at Jantar Mantar; had it been merely a gathering of students, Rahul Gandhi would certainly have gone there. But why didn't he? Because he saw Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia there," she said.

"Rahul Gandhi wanted to avoid the Aam Aadmi Party, which is why he did not go. This implies that Rahul Gandhi himself acknowledges that representatives of a political setup were present at Jantar Mantar," Irani added.

CJP Protest and Aftermath

The CJP-led protest at Jantar Mantar ended after the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister. Opposition parties in Parliament demanded a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on "police action" against the protestors.

Supreme Court Forms Expert Committee

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Supreme Court constituted a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee (HPEC), headed by retired apex court Justice R Subhash Reddy, to conduct a fact-finding exercise into allegations of police excesses as well as violence by protesters during the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led demonstrations.

The committee comprises former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and former Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi. (ANI)

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