New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): Dismissing the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi's scepticism over the Central government’s resolve to wipe out drug abuse, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday questioned the Congress leader's understanding of governance and determination, urging him to look at the track record of BJP leadership.
Dismissing Gandhi's scepticism over the Central government’s resolve to wipe out drug abuse, Trivedi questioned the Congress leader's understanding of governance and determination, urging him to look at the track record of BJP leadership.
"Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition. Driven by the insolence of his nature and the frustration in his mind, he was once again seen making all sorts of baseless remarks in Punjab regarding the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. He said that by the date on which we have pledged to eradicate drug abuse from Punjab, he claims that our government will not even be in power. The astonishing thing is—Rahul Gandhi ji, you do not understand what firmness of resolve is, nor the capability required to turn that resolve into a reality," said Trivedi.
Addressing Gandhi's scepticism over the Centre's pledge to eradicate drug abuse in Punjab, Trivedi accused the LoP of acting out of frustration and hiding the political failure of his recent campaign events.
"Out of his insolent nature and frustration, Rahul Gandhi said absurd things about the PM and HM once again in Punjab. He said that the Govt would not even be in power till the deadline set by us for drug menace elimination in Punjab. It is surprising that Rahul Gandhi doesn't know the strength of a pledge or the capability to turn it into a reality," said Trivedi.
Trivedi further claimed that Gandhi faced public pushback during his local outreach in the state, "The Congress party should decide how it would set its future course with a leader with a deranged mindset. People at Parvinder Singh's residence refused to have his visit there because they believe that they caused the massacre of Sikhs. You stubbornly did a rally on 1st November and it turned out to be a failure. I think, to hide the failure of his rally, now Rahul Gandhi is acting on the advice of some of his so-called advisors and giving strange statements..."
This comes after Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the governance of Punjab, targeting both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the persistent drug menace and political control of the state at the Congress party's "Insaaf Rally" in Sangrur.
Speaking to a massive gathering of party workers and supporters, Gandhi dismissed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's promise to eradicate drug abuse from Punjab within three years, questioning the longevity of the central government and the feasibility of the pledge.
"What timeline did they (Union HM Amit Shah) set for the drug issue?... Within three years? In three years, Amit Shah won’t even be the Home Minister anymore... My assessment is that this govt won’t even last a year. Anyway, Amit Shah claims he will eradicate the drug problem in three years," said Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi at the "Insaaf Rally" in Sangrur, Punjab challenged PM Modi to an open debate outside Parliament:
"Yesterday, I challenged Narendra Modi to a face-to-face debate. He can make anyone he wants the judge for this debate. I guarantee the nation that Narendra Modi cannot sit before me. I can guarantee that within five minutes of the debate starting, I will prove that Narendra Modi is a 'desh-drohi' and Donald Trump controls him," said Rahul Gandhi.
Trivedi rebuked the Congress leader's remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after Gandhi renewed a public challenge to PM Modi for a face-to-face debate, alleging he could prove "within five minutes" that the Prime Minister was being controlled by US President Donald Trump and dismissing the Centre's pledge to eradicate drug abuse in Punjab.
Adding to the political friction surrounding the Congress party's "Insaaf Rally" in Sangrur, groups of 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims staged active protests in the district during Gandhi's visit.
Protesters raised slogans citing historical grievances surrounding the 1984 violence, condemning the Congress leadership's presence in the region and echoing local pushback against the opposition's campaign drive in Punjab.
Trivedi ridiculed Gandhi’s public challenge for a face-to-face debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pointed out that while PM Modi stands as the unquestioned, unanimous leader of the NDA, Rahul Gandhi lacks official standing even among his own opposition coalition partners, suggesting the Congress leader hold a "mock debate" instead.
Dismissing Gandhi's demand for an unscripted, face-to-face public debate with the Prime Minister, Trivedi questioned the Congress leader's political authority and standing within the broader opposition ecosystem.
"Narendra Modi is the unanimous leader of NDA for the last 12 years. You (Rahul Gandhi) are not the leader of INDI. There is no INDI in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. You are not even the UPA chairman; it was Sonia Gandhi. So, we would like to clearly say that you had set up a mock parliament recently. Get a mock debate done there. Even in the mock debate, there was no other party. So, there was no scope of mock debate even in your mock Parliament; it was just a monologue," said Trivedi.
Trivedi systematically countered Gandhi’s past economic and security predictions, pointing out that state-owned enterprises continue to deliver stellar financial performances despite Gandhi's warnings.
"You were the one who said in 2011 that it is completely impossible to control terrorism. And today you have seen that India has achieved such effective control over terrorism that, apart from 3 to 4 districts in South Kashmir, terrorism has been virtually eliminated from the rest of India. And every single one of your predictions has proven to be false. You wrote off LIC; today it is reporting all-time high profits. You said the same about the State Bank of India; it is at an all-time high profit. You said HAL was ruined; it is also at an all-time high profit. What's more, you made completely unfounded claims regarding vaccines," said Sudhanshu Trivedi.
Trivedi severely criticised Gandhi for demanding outside public debates while repeatedly walking out of parliamentary discussions, "Why does he say, 'I am ready for a debate'? The framers of India's Constitution designated the Parliament of India as the supreme forum for debate. If a person who is the Leader of the Opposition says, 'I do not want to debate inside the House', that is an insult to the spirit of the framers of India's Constitution and the very ethos of the Constitution... Look at the record: when the no-confidence motion was brought, the moment the Prime Minister began to speak, you walked out. When the discussion on Manipur came up and the Prime Minister began to speak, you walked out. Whenever our side begins to speak on any issue, you take to your heels."
Trivedi also noted local friction during Gandhi's trip: "In Punjab, at the house you tried to visit—the home of Parwinder Singh—the locals refused your visit because people remember that you committed a massacre against Sikhs. Yet, adamantly insisting on its anniversary, you held a rally on November 1st, which proved to be a complete failure." (ANI)
"Learn what firmness of resolve is": Sudhanshu Trivedi targets Rahul Gandhi on Punjab's drug menace deadline
