‘Has BJP criticised any less?’: Supriya Sule in support of Rahul Gandhi over EC notice

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule came in support of her party ally in the INDIA bloc and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after he was served a show cause notice by the Election Commission of India (ECI) over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally in Rajasthan.

“Rahul Gandhi is a strong and honest leader. I am confident that he will give a dignified and honest answer. He is a fighter. He can afford to be fearless because he is honest,” Sule said, adding that there are several examples where the BJP remarked against Rahul Gandhi’s family, including his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and grandmother Indira Gandhi. “So, now if he speaks something, why is there a need to feel bad?…Has the BJP criticised the Congress any less?”

During a speech in poll-bound Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi used ‘panauti’ barb against PM Modi, attributing team India’s Cricket World Cup loss to the Prime Minister’s presence at the stadium. A Hindi slang, panauti loosely refers to someone who brings bad luck. “Our guys were playing well. They would have won the World Cup. But ‘Panauti’ made us lose. The TV guys won’t tell you this but people know,” he had said in Barmer.

At a different poll rally, the Wayanad MP referred PM Modi to a Hindi slang ‘jaibkatra’ which means a pickpocket, saying a pickpocket doesn’t come alone, he comes with three people. While one distracts, others steal money. “The pickpocket never comes alone, there are three people. One comes from the front, one from the back and one from the distance… Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s job is to divert your attention. He comes on TV from the front and distracts the public by raising topics of Hindu-Muslim, demonetization, and GST. Meanwhile, Adani comes from behind and takes the money,” he said.

While serving the notice, the ECI said comparing a prime minister to a ‘jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and using the word ‘panauti’ is ‘unbecoming’ of a very senior leader of a national political party. Rahul Gandhi has been asked to appear before the Election Commission on November 25.