"Don't pretend to be a pressman... kyun hawa nikal gayi ": Rahul Gandhi on question over BJP's 'insult OBC' allegations against him
Mar 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], March 25 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday got apparently worked up over a journalist's question over BJP's 'OBC insult' allegations against him and said the question had been posed to him earlier and "if you want to work for BJP, put it on your chest'"
Gandhi was addressing a press conference a day after his disqualification from Lok Sabha following conviction by a Gujarat court in a criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remarks.
Following his conviction, BJP leaders have targeted Gandhi and repeatedly alleged that his remarks showed "how deep rooted his hatred for OBCs is."
A journalist asked Gandhi about BJP's allegations and its plans for nationwide pressers. Gandhi said these "attempts" had been made earlier during his presser.
"Why are you working so directly for BJP, do it with some discretion, ask it in roundabout...see there is smile..if you want to work for the BJP, then bring a BJP flag, symbol and put it on your chest, then I'll answer you the same way I answer them. Don't pretend to be a pressman," he said.
"Hawa nikal gayi," he said a moment later before moving on to other questions.
Earlier, answering a similar question on BJP allegations, Gandhi had said that in all his speeches during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he had talked of need of unity and spoken against efforts to spread hatred.
He said it was not a matter concerning OBCs but of "relations between Narendra Modiji and Adaniji" and accused the BJP of trying to divert attention from the issue.
He said that Modi government was scared of his questions on Adani issue.
Stating that he was not scared of threats, disqualification and prison sentences, Rahul Gandhi said that he will not "back down" from asking questions on the Adani stocks issue.
"This is the whole drama that is been orchestrated to defend the Prime Minister from the simple question- Who's Rs 20,000 crore went to Adani's shell companies? I am not scared of these threats, disqualifications or prison sentences," he said.
"I am not interested in anything but the truth. I only speak the truth, it is my work and I will keep doing it even if I get disqualified or get arrested. This country has given me everything and that is why I do this. I will keep asking questions on Adani issue, they cannot scare me by disqualification or putting me in jail. I won't back down," he said.
