Congress fires back at BJP, calls attacks on Rahul Gandhi ‘hypocritical’

In the tempestuous arena of Indian politics, the Congress on Saturday, 4 October, struck back at the BJP, decrying what it called blatant hypocrisy over attacks on its leader, Rahul Gandhi, who, they insist, has merely held a mirror to the misrule, corruption, and erosion of democratic values under the current government.

The retort comes a day after the BJP launched a scathing assault on Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of aligning with “anti-India forces” and pushing a divisive agenda.

In a pointed post on X, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal lamented, “The BJP’s habit of blaming the Congress for its own failures has repeatedly brought India international embarrassment. Be it in Colombia or Kanpur, the reality remains — this government has faltered in harnessing the vast potential of our economy and is squandering the promise of our demographic dividend.”

Venugopal further claimed that the BJP itself has tarnished India’s global image by undermining democratic norms. “It is a stale, misdirected tactic by the BJP ecosystem to attack Rahul ji for speaking plainly. They would do better to heed his words and correct the glaring flaws he has highlighted since 2014,” he asserted.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits, Venugopal added that before assuming office and even for many years after, Modi allegedly used these trips to attack the Congress and, in doing so, “insult India and its people.” “It is therefore plain hypocrisy for the BJP to now question Rahul ji for merely exposing misrule, corruption, and the undemocratic character of the party in power,” he said.

The BJP, however, continued its sharp critique. On Friday, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi held a press conference castigating Gandhi for remarks made at a university seminar in Colombia. Trivedi claimed Gandhi’s observations about India’s 16–17 languages could stoke regional conflicts and alleged that the Congress under the Nehru-Gandhi family is being influenced by “anti-India forces.”

Trivedi went further, declaring Gandhi a “jhanda bardar” (flag-bearer) of these forces and warning the public to remain vigilant. He described having Gandhi as a leader of the opposition as “a thorn in the heart of Indian democracy” and appealed to Congress members to exercise caution lest they fall into the sway of these alleged foreign influences.

Thus, the political theatre in India continues, with sharp words and fiery accusations flaring across party lines — a battle not just of policies and governance, but of narratives, identity, and the very soul of democratic discourse.

With PTI inputs