Rahul must clarify Ghulam Nabi Azad's charge about his ties with 'undesirable businessmen': BJP

After former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged that Rahul Gandhi meets ‘undesireable’ businessmen on his trips abroad, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned Gandhi on who these businessmen are, and said that he owes an explanation to the nation.

In an interview with a TV channel, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party leader who had left the Congress last year, said that he had great respect for the Gandhi family. “I have great respect for the Gandhi family. I don’t want to speak anything. Otherwise, I can give ten examples of where he (Rahul) goes, even outside the country, to meet people, who are undesirable businessmen,” Azad had said.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad played a clip of the interview at a press conference in Patna and said that allegations are serious. “Ghulam Nabi Azad has made serious allegations that whenever Rahul Gandhi goes abroad, he meets ‘undesirable businessmen’. Who is Rahul Gandhi meeting? What is the agenda? Is Rahul Gandhi working with anti-India businessmen to weaken the country,” Azad said.

Prasad said that in the last nine years, since Modi took over as PM, Rahul has not said anything good about the policies of the government. “The question to ask is if Rahul Gandhi is trying to weaken India’s democracy by meeting anti-India businessmen. Is he supporting them and is why he is always making fun of India’s vaccine and India,” Prasad said.

Prasad said that Gandhi goes on a foreign trip every 3-4 months. “After returning to India, his tone changes – his attacks on PM Modi increases, his attacks on India and our development increases. He is trying to weaken the country, he is working against the country by inviting foreign interference and weakening our foreign image,” Prasad said.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh took to twitter to criticise Azad. “With every passing day, Ghulam Nabi Azad falls to new depths to demonstrate his true character and his loyalty to Mr. Modi. His contemptible statements on the Congress leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant. I can only say that he is PATHETIC (sic),” Ramesh said.