Raising issues does not amount to rebellion: Congress spokesman Anant Gadgil

Congress spokesman Anant Gadgil on Friday said raising issues does not amount to rebellion and dared BJP leaders to speak against their national leadership on issues of Chinese "intrusion" and "failures" on economic and foreign policy fronts.

He said internal democracy certainly exists in the Congress party.

"Will BJP leaders speak out against their national leadership? I challenge the BJP to debate on issues of Chinese intrusion (across LAC), foreign policy and economy.

"Will BJP leaders raise voice against their central leadership," Gadgil sought to know, attacking the saffron party.

Raising issues does not mean rebellion, he said, referring to over 20 Congress leaders writing a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi seeking an organisational overhaul.

Replying to questions on Monday's stormy CWC meeting, Gadgil said proceedings proved that internal democracy exists in the 134-year-old party.

The former legislator said the idea of a Congress without the Nehru-Gandhi family at the helm is limited to a minuscule number of people in the society.

"The Congress without the Nehru-Gandhi family is a typical mindset of a typical class which has a limited number in the society.

"That the Congress should be headed by the Gandhis is certainly the dominating mood among Congress cadres," he said.

He asked if BJP cadres and functionaries can openly debate with their central leaders about "failures" on foreign policy and economic fronts and mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic.