Dharwad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a vitriolic attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “inconsiderate comments” in a London interview that triggered a controversy in the country.
“Statue of lord Basaveshwar is in London, but it is unfortunate that in the same London questions were raised on India’s democracy … India is not just the largest democracy; India is the mother of democracy,” he said in a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘democracy is dead’ remark.
The Congress leader, in an interview with reporters at the IJA event held in London, had said that India has become “undemocratic” under the present government.
He said: “How would you react if democracy suddenly disappeared in Europe? You would be shocked and say that’s a massive blow to democracy. How would you react if a structure three and a half times the size of Europe suddenly went non-democratic (referring to India)? That’s already happened. That’s not going to happen in the future; that’s already happened. But there is no reaction. There are reasons why there have been no reactions.”
In response, Modi said: “No matter how much the opposition tries to harm India’s image, no power in the world can harm India’s democratic traditions.”
Gandhi had also backed the BBC against the tax surveys conducted at the latter’s offices in Mumbai and Delhi. He said action against BBC in India was an instance of “suppression of voice across the country.”
PM Modi also slammed the opposition for insulting Hindu gods. “These people are insulting Lord Basaveshwara, the people of Karnataka, and the citizens of India,” he said. UNI BDN SSP
