Rahul Gandhi seeks to create a divide between north & south India, says Smriti Irani

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Rahul Gandhi seeks to create a divide between north & south India, says Smriti Irani

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused Gandhi of "practising cheap politics" and resorting to regionalism.

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February 24, 2021 12:25 IST
Rahul Gandhi seeks to create a divide between north & south India, says Smriti Irani
Rahul Gandhi seeks to create a divide between north & south India, says Smriti Irani

New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said the spiteful & vengeful politics of Rahul Gandhi insults not only the people & voters of Amethi but seeks to create a divide between the north & south India is to be condemned by every Indian.

This statement comes after Rahul Gandhi’s controversial ‘North vs South’ remark made in his home constituency Wayand in Kerala.

“For the first 15 years, I was an MP in the north. I had got used to a different type of politics. For me, coming to Kerala was very refreshing as suddenly I found that people are interested in issues and not just superficially but going into detail in issues,” the former Congress chief said while addressing a public gathering in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

Labelling these comments as anti-north Indians, BJP leaders attacked Rahul and alleged he was being an opportunist despite he and his family members having won several elections from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP leaders including JP Nadda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Yogi Adityanath and S Jaishankar, on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks “comparing” his present Wayanad parliamentary constituency to his previous Amethi seat and accused him of creating a “north-south” divide.

BJP president JP Nadda accused Gandhi of “spewing venom against the North”. “A few days back he was in the Northeast, spewing venom against the western part of India. Today in the South he is spewing venom against the North. Divide and rule politics won’t work, RahulGandhi Ji!” Nadda said in a tweet.

Gandhi, who addressed an event to mark the conclusion of ‘Aishwarya Kerala Yatra’ in poll-bound Kerala, said he had been MP for 15 years from the north and had used to a different type of politics and coming to Kerala was very refreshing.

“For the first 15 years, I was an MP in the north. I had got used to a different type of politics. For me, coming to Kerala was very refreshing as suddenly I found that people are interested in issues not just superficially but they like to go into detail about issues,” Rahul said.

“I was talking to some students in the United States and I said to them I really enjoy going to Kerala. It’s not just affection but the way you do your politics, the intelligence with which you do your politics. So, for me, it’s been a learning experience and a pleasure,” he added.

Gandhi had represented Amethi, a bastion of Nehru-Gandhi family, for 15 years in Lok Sabha. He fought from two constituencies in 2019 and was defeated from Amethi but won from Wayanad in Kerala.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused the Congress of trying to create a “north-south” divide in the country.

“Wherever Rahul Gandhi has landed, Congress has been grounded. Rahulji had earlier made north India free of Congress and now he has headed southwards. For us and the people, the entire country is one. Congress wants to divide the country into north and south. People will not allow these attempts to succeed,” Chouhan said in a tweet.

“Not Rahul, it’s his divisive mentality that is speaking. It is the same Congress that divided the country into India and Pakistan on the basis of religion. Do they now want to divide it into North & South? he People will not let such efforts succeed,” he told ANI.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also took a dig at Gandhi over his remarks and said “never run down a region, never divide us”.

“I hail from the South. I am an MP from a Western state. I was born, educated and worked in the North. I represented all of India before the World. India is one. Never run down a region; never divide us,” he said in a tweet.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused Gandhi of “practising cheap politics” and resorting to regionalism.

“Rahulji, Atalji had once said that India is not just a piece of land, but a living ‘Rashtrapurush’. Please don’t try to divide it for your cheap politics by the sword of regionalism. India was one, is one, and will always be one,” he said.

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