Politics

BJP Criticises Sonia Gandhi’s Comments on Modi Era and Emergency

By Aastha Jha

The BJP on Saturday responded to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s criticism of the Modi government, urging her to “remove Italian lenses” and recognise India’s progress over the past 12 years. The party also condemned her remarks about the Emergency and questioned the content of her forthcoming memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh told PTI that if Gandhi removed her “Italian lenses” she would see India’s development under the slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas and its rise as a global power with a 7.8 per cent GDP growth rate. Chugh accused the Congress of using caste, religion and vote‑bank politics to divide the country and asked Gandhi to address alleged scams during her party’s rule, the 1984 anti‑Sikh riots, the Bhopal gas tragedy, the deaths of Indian soldiers and the Batla House encounter. He also questioned why she had allegedly cried after a terrorist was killed and said she could not accept the rise of Sanatan under the BJP‑NDA rule.

In an interview with The Hindu ahead of her book launch, Sonia Gandhi said the last 12 years had caused “great damage” to India’s democratic fabric and institutions. She added that restoring the country’s systems would take time even after the Modi government leaves office and that people were beginning to recognise the damage.

The BJP also targeted Gandhi over her remarks on the Emergency imposed on 25 June 1975. She said the suspension of democratic rights and habeas corpus during that period had been carried out constitutionally and that, in hindsight, she could see Indira Gandhi struggling with deteriorating circumstances, including violent protests and organised unrest.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused Gandhi of “shedding tears for Batla House” and criticised her for being pro‑Babri and anti‑Bhagwan Ram, calling her vote‑bank politics a losing strategy.