New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, January 27, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the ‘Gamosa’ controversy involving Rahul Gandhi and said the ruling party wants to “destroy Gandhi’s image through false propaganda” but will never succeed.
Kharge also claimed that the Modi government insulted Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and him by seating them in the third row alongside ministers of state during the Republic Day parade.
A political row erupted over Gandhi allegedly not wearing an Assamese ‘Gamosa’ given to all the guests at the reception hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Republic Day, with the BJP alleging that the Congress leader insulted the country’s Northeast.
The BJP also accused Gandhi of showing disregard for President Murmu by not wearing the ‘Gamosa’ while the Congress countered by pointing out that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also not worn the “patka (scarf)”.
Asked about the BJP’s claims, Kharge told PTI Videos, “This is a lie. Even the defence minister was not wearing the ‘Gamosa’…the BJP president was also not wearing it. He (Gandhi) was holding it in his hand after wearing it. They (BJP) are doing such propaganda that Rahul Gandhi has insulted the whole of the Northeast states and their culture. They (BJP) want to (destroy) that culture.”
Gandhi is the only leader who met all the Northeast artists, shook hands with them and also hugged an artist from Arunachal; photographs for this are available,” he said.
“These people want to destroy Rahul Gandhi‘s image through false propaganda, but they will never succeed. I am an eyewitness,” Kharge asserted.
“The government insulted Rahul Gandhi and me by seating us in the third row…made us sit behind kids, we were made to sit next to ministers of state. They should apologise to us,” he said.
Kharge said Gandhi and he were wearing the ‘Gamosa’ and took it off while eating and kept it on the table. “Their people were not wearing it,” he added, slamming the BJP.
His remarks come a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma demanded an “unconditional apology” from Gandhi, alleging that it was deeply insensitive and insulting to the people of the entire Northeast with the Congress leader choosing not to wear the traditional ‘patka’, which is a symbol of the region’s rich cultural heritage.
Citing certain media reports, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday said in a post on X, “Shameful! Rahul Gandhi has insulted the north-east and also disrespected our very hon’ble President.”
The Congress had hit back at the BJP with the party’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera posting on X a picture of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, asking the Assam chief minister if he would demand an apology from Singh also for not wearing the ‘patka’.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Veena Nair | 
