The political landscape in India witnessed another heated exchange as Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took to social media to criticize the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for sharing a graphic featuring her brother and party leader, Rahul Gandhi, with a bearded visage and seven heads, reminiscent of the mythical character Ravana.
In a strongly-worded message directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President J.P. Nadda, Priyanka Gandhi expressed her concerns about the direction of Indian politics and the nature of public discourse. She questioned the BJP’s stance on violent and provocative tweets being posted from the official Twitter handle of their party and asked if they had forgotten their oaths and promises to uphold a higher standard of political engagement.
“Most respected @narendramodi ji and @JPNadda, to what level of degradation do you want to take politics and debate? Do you agree with the violent and provocative tweets being posted from the official Twitter handle of your party? Not much time passed and you took a vow of uprightness. Have you forgotten oaths like promises?” Priyanka Gandhi wrote in Hindi.
The controversy began when the BJP launched a scathing attack against Rahul Gandhi by sharing the graphic portraying him as Ravana, a character from Hindu mythology often associated with evil. The poster also linked Rahul Gandhi to George Soros, a billionaire investor who has faced allegations of being involved in anti-India activities.
The BJP shared this graphic on its official social media platform and captioned it with strong language, stating, “India is in Danger. He is Evil. Anti Dharma. Anti Ram. His aim is to destroy Bharat.”
The graphic swiftly ignited a debate on social media, with supporters and critics expressing a range of opinions about its symbolism and intent. This incident highlights the intense political rivalry and polarization in India’s contemporary political landscape.
Responding to the graphic, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal condemned the BJP’s actions as “shameful” and criticized their intent. He raised concerns about the safety of Rahul Gandhi, especially after the withdrawal of his Special Protection Group (SPG) security detail.
“No words are enough to condemn the ‘shameful’ graphic on the BJP handle comparing Rahul Gandhi ji to Ravana. Their nefarious intentions are clear, they want to murder him. He, who lost his grandmother and father to assassinations. They withdrew his SPG protection to score petty political points,” Mr. Venugopal posted on social media.
This episode underscores the growing tension and political animosity between the major political parties in India, further emphasizing the need for a more civil and constructive political discourse in the country.
Sources By Agencies
