Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of resorting to the constant “India-shaming & India-bashing” statements, saying “we are worried” about his remarks abroad.Rijiju said he didn’t want to comment on the Congress scion’s personal visits, but his remarks abroad “against India’s interest” as the Lok Sabha leader of opposition are “worrying”.”Tell me one Leader of Opposition who spoke against India’s interest in a foreign country. I don’t want to comment about Rahul Gandhi Ji’s regular personal trip abroad. But as leader of opposition, we are worried due to his constant India-shaming & India-bashing!” he told news agency ANI.The remarks come after Rahul, while speaking at an event at EIA University in Colombia on Thursday, said, “India has strong capabilities in areas like engineering and healthcare, so I am very optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are also flaws in the structure that India has to correct. The biggest challenge is the attack on democracy taking place in India.”Speaking on the Gen-Z (Generation-Z: born between 1997-2012), which has come to the spotlight after violent protests in the neighbouring Nepal that overthrew the Oil-led communist government, Rijiju said: “India’s Gen-Z are sensible, sincere, sharp, smart and steadfast in their mission to make India a great nation.” Rijiju, in a piercing attack at the Congress party, said “the Gen Zs would not tolerate the party and the family who kept India poor for 6 decades”. “They will reject corrupt and inefficient politicians who only care for one family!” he said.After his presser claiming deletion of voters from Karnataka’s Aland constituency last month, Rahul Gandhi had written in a post on X, “The youth of the nation The students of the nation The Gen Z of the nation Will protect the Constitution, defend democracy, and prevent vote theft. I will always stand with them. Hail India!”His shoutout to Gen Z to “stop vote theft” sparked a sharp retort from the BJP, with Nishikant Dubey quipping: “They are against corruption, why wouldn’t they drive you out?”Dubey claimed that Gen Z wants “an Islamic state in Bangladesh and a Hindu state in Nepal, why wouldn’t they make India a Hindu state?””Gen Z is against family rule. Why would they tolerate Rahul Ji after Nehru Ji, Indira Ji, Rajiv Ji, Sonia Ji? They are against corruption, why wouldn’t they drive you out? They want an Islamic state in Bangladesh and a Hindu state in Nepal, why wouldn’t they make India a Hindu state? Get ready to leave the country, they are coming,” he said.
