PM trading in jawans’ blood : Rahul

NEW DELHI: In a barb reminiscent of his mother Sonia Gandhi’s “Maut ke Saudagar” remark made in Gujarat in 2007, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making political capital from the Army’s surgical strikes in PoK and said the PM was trading in the blood of soldiers.

Rahul Gandhi addresses farmers at Rajghat in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 6

In a barb reminiscent of his mother Sonia Gandhi’s “Maut ke Saudagar” remark made in Gujarat in 2007, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making political capital from the Army’s surgical strikes in PoK and said the PM was trading in the blood of soldiers.

“Our soldiers have given their blood. They have conducted surgical strikes for the country in Jammu and Kashmir. You are hiding behind their blood. You are trading them (Aap jawanon ki dalaali kar rahe ho)…” Rahul said to Modi, as he addressed a rally at Parliament Street this evening to end his 3,500-km kisan yatra through UP.

Unusually caustic in his manner, the Amethi MP blamed the BJP for exploiting a national security issue and advised the PM to help farmers, generate jobs and do stuff he was elected to do.

“What you are doing is wrong. Indian soldiers have done their work. You do yours. Help farmers, raise seventh Pay Commission emoluments for the Armed Forces. That is your job, your responsibility. People have elected you to do that,” Rahul said, cementing his party’s line of “BJP is politicising surgical strikes”.

Rahul spoke amid Congress supporters who cheered him whenever he went for Modi. Keeping farmers’ agony central to his tirade, Rahul slammed the PM for “doing nothing for anyone” and said the PM had “divided the country”.

To make his point, Rahul used an allegory that surprised everyone. Turning to UP Congress chief Raj Babbar seated on the stage, he said: “When I asked Raj Babbar ji which one of his films was the best, Raj Babbar ji replied Insaaf ka taraazu… Now, I will tell you what the Congress has done in 70 years. Congress has given justice to people. Congress has respected Insaaf ka taraazu, which Modi has not. The country wants justice from the PM but he has done nothing expect divide the nation and turn one Indian against the other.”

Rahul cited the Jat agitation of Haryana, the Patidar backlash in Gujarat and the communal riots in UP as examples to strengthen his “RSS-BJP have dissected India” argument.