Save democracy or save the dynasty? BJP, Oppn trade barbs over INDIA bloc rally in Delhi

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday launched a sharp attack at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over the INDIA bloc rally held in Delhi, claiming that the Congress leader's expectations of drawing a crowd of 10 lakh people had fallen flat, with the ground remaining largely empty and several chairs vacant.

The BJP claimed that the purpose of the rally was unclear and claimed that people had once again rejected the Congress' allegations of vote theft.

Speaking to IANS, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh said, “Rahul Gandhi, who had claimed that a crowd of 10 lakh people would gather, saw an empty ground and vacant chairs at yesterday’s rally, and even the subject of the rally was unclear.”

“The people of the country have once again rejected the Congress’s false narrative of vote theft and its politics based on a cinematic script. Rahul Gandhi’s politics is now limited to threats, anarchy and attacks on constitutional institutions and the judiciary,” Chugh alleged.

He further claimed that there was widespread opposition to the activities being carried out under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

“The people of the country are strongly opposing these activities. There is outrage across the country. Today, Rahul Gandhi has emerged as an object of hatred among the people of the country,” he said.

BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan also targeted the Opposition rally, alleging that it was centred on political families.

“Yesterday’s rally was not about ‘Save Democracy’; it was about saving the dynasty, saving the son and saving the daughter. Sonia Gandhi’s son was on the stage, Lalu ji’s son was on the stage, Mulayam Singh Yadav ji’s son was on the stage, Sharad Pawar’s daughter was on the stage, Mufti Mohammad’s daughter was on the stage, and Sheikh Abdullah’s son was on the stage,” Paswan said.

JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan also criticised the Congress, saying that the party's electoral performance had been declining under Rahul Gandhi's leadership.

“The Congress's graph has been continuously declining. After forming several governments in the country over more than 50 years, the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, has failed to cross the 100-seat mark for the third consecutive time,” he said.

However, Opposition leaders rejected the BJP's claims and maintained that the rally had received a massive response.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the BJP was 'frightened' by the large gathering.

“The BJP can call it a flop show. These are frightened people. Seeing such a huge crowd and the gathering of people, they got scared. After 1974, this is the largest rally held in Delhi,” Raut said.

He compared the rally with the 1974 movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan and said that people had responded in large numbers to Rahul Gandhi's call to “Save Democracy, Stop Vote Theft and Save the Constitution”.

Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav also dismissed the BJP's allegations, saying that hundreds of thousands of people had arrived from different parts of the country.

“The way leaders of the INDIA alliance led the rally sends a clear message about the widespread unrest across India regarding vote theft,” he said, adding that the Opposition leaders had delivered a strong message at the gathering.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, "I say that there is no party more dishonest, misleading or shameless than the BJP. You have also shown it live: the number of people outside the ground was twice the number inside. When Rahul Gandhi was walking, along with all the other leaders, the roads on both sides were packed. Even our political opponents today acknowledge that the rally was hugely successful. Ask the general public. But the BJP is a party that lies, and its capacity to lie is beyond measure. They call a rally a flop despite everything having happened right before everyone’s eyes."

"We say it was the most successful rally since Independence, something that had never happened before. And let me say one more thing: do not judge the rally by the numbers; judge it by the spirit. The spirit and resolve present there were clear: we will remove a corrupt party like the BJP, a party that has murdered democracy, and bring in a party that believes in the Constitution," he added.

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