BJP defends Modi, says he didn't intend to insult Rajiv Gandhi

New Delhi: Narendra Modi had no intention of insulting former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and had only cited the “fact” that he had publicly snubbed the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Anjaiah in 1982 during a visit to the state, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said.

“On 2 February, 1982, late Rajiv Gandhi snubbed Chief Minister Anjaiah. The Congress leader (Rajiv) was only a party leader and was not holding a government position then. He gave a public snub to Anjaiah, who later said he was very upset as he was a follower of Indira Gandhi.

“It was in this context only that Narendra Modi had taken the name of Late Rajiv Gandhi. There is no question of taking it otherwise or insulting anybody,” said Naidu, who also hails from Andhra Pradesh.

“It is a fact Anjaiah, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, was insulted and Congress had to pay a heavy price for the same,” he said.

He said it is “well documented” that Anjaiah was actually shouted at in 1982 by Rajiv Gandhi at Hyderabad’s Begumpet airport.

Priyanka took strong objection to Modi’s remarks on Rajiv Gandhi, saying he has “insulted” the former Prime Minister.

Taking a jibe at Congress for trying to rake up the ‘snoopgate’ controversy allegedly involving Narendra Modi, Naidu said, “In a shameless manner, Congress is so desperate to initiate a probe into the snoopgate. It is not snoopgate, it is weepgate”.

He said every action and statement of Congress is “boomeranging” on them.

PTI