'Nakli Gandhi, fake ideology': BJP tears into Rahul for 'Gandhi family an ideology' remark

New Delhi: Minutes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that Gandhis were not just a family, but a whole ideology, the BJP on Friday hit back saying that the family represents a fake ideology and that Rahul is a 'nakli' Gandhi as he is not a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) is not a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi. He is a 'nakli' (fake) Gandhi. And it is a fake ideology," said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.

He (Rahul Gandhi) is not a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi. He is a 'nakli' (fake) Gandhi. And it is a fake ideology: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remark that Gandhi is not just a family, but a whole ideology pic.twitter.com/8wigs30Hef

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2022

The minister was reacting to a statement made by Rahul Gandhi at a press briefing earlier in the day where he said that the Congress was fighting for an ideology for years and Gandhi family wasn't just one family, but an ideology as a whole.

"Why do they attack the Gandhi family? They do it because we fight for an ideology and there are crores of people like us. We fight for democracy, for communal harmony and we have been doing this for years. It's not just me who did that, it has been happening for years," said the Congress MP addressing the media at AICC headquarters sitting along side Rajasthan CM and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot.

"My family sacrificed their lives. It's our responsibility because we fight for this ideology. It hurts us when Hindus-Muslims are pitted against each other, when Dalits are killed, when a woman is thrashed. So, we fight. This isn't just one family, this is an ideology," he added.

The Congress leader also alleged that India is witnessing the "death of democracy" and anybody who stands against the onset of dictatorship is "viciously attacked".

Gandhi said the sole agenda of the government is that people's issues such as price rise, unemployment and violence in society must not be raised.

There is no democracy in India and there is a dictatorship of four people, he alleged.

"What we are witnessing is the death of democracy. That is what India is witnessing. What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is basically being destroyed in front of your eyes," Gandhi said.

"All of you know it, all of India knows it. Anybody who stands against this idea of the onset of dictatorship, does not matter who he is, where he comes from, which state, which religion, male or female, that person is viciously attacked, put in jail, arrested, beaten up," he said.

Former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress leader made "shameful and irresponsible" comments and noted that it was his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi who had suspended people's democratic rights by imposing Emergency.

"Stop demeaning the institutions of India to safeguard your corruption and misdeeds... If people don't listen to you why are you blaming us," said Prasad.

If people saw dictatorship, it was during Emergency when people, including opposition leaders and editors, were jailed, judges superseded and censorship imposed. Indira Gandhi had then spoken about having "committed judiciary," he said.

"Why do you blame democracy when people of India reject you with repeated regularity," he added and asked Gandhi if there is democracy within his party which has some "good leaders" but it is all about the Gandhi family.

As part of its protests today, the Congress is set to 'gherao' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence against price rise, unemployment and GST hike on some essential items.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs of the party will also hold a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" (march to Rashtrapati Bhavan) from Parliament to register the protest against price rise and unemployment.

In all capital cities, the state units would organise a gherao of Raj Bhavans in which MLAs, MLCs, former MPs and senior leaders will participate.

With inputs from agencies

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