Rahul Gandhi blames BJP, RSS for attack on him

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday held BJP and RSS workers responsible for the attack on his car in Gujarat, saying the incident was a “pre-planned conspiracy”. 

“In yesterday’s incident, BJP workers threw such a huge stone that my personal security officer was injured. This is how they and Modi conduct politics,” Mr Gandhi said. He urged Congress party workers in Gujarat to use their energy to help those affected by floods rather than to protest the attack on him.

Congress leaders have described the incident as a “murderous attack” and accused the Centre and state government of failing to provide security to the party vice-president who is guarded by the SPG.

On Friday, Mr Gandhi had gone to Dhanera town in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district to visit flood-affected areas and meet people whose lives have been disrupted as a consequence. 

A huge stone was thrown at his vehicle as alleged BJP workers waved black flags. It hit the rear window of his car. Mr Gandhi escaped unhurt as he was sitting in the front seat.

Soon after the attack, Mr Gandhi tweeted that stones can’t deter him or the Congress Party. Following the attack, several state Congress leaders went on a night-long dharna and organised demonstrations condemning the incident and demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

While reacting to media questions that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the BJP had condemned the incident so far, Mr Gandhi said, “How will they condemn it when they themselves do such a thing? The attack was carried out by their own people, so how will they condemn it?’’

Meanwhile, the Gujarat police claimed it has arrested one person for throwing stone on Mr Gandhi’s car. The accused has been identified as Jayesh Darji alias Anil Rathod, allegedly a Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing leader. During his Gujarat visit, Mr Gandhi was also shown black flags by protesters, which forced him to abruptly end his speech. 

A number of senior Congress leaders reacted strongly to the attack on Mr Gandhi. 

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, described the incident as a “murderous attack” carried out by BJP and RSS workers as a part of a “pre-planned conspiracy”. He also accused the Gujarat government of failing to provide adequate security cover to Mr Gandhi. 

When asked why Mr Gandhi refused to use the bullet-proof car provided by the state government, Mr Azad said at times, be sensitive to the public, one has to use a regular vehicle. 

“If such an incident happens again I don’t think people of the country will tolerate it,” he added. 

Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma said that the Gujarat incident was unacceptable in any civilised society or democracy. He said the BJP was using every possible means to capture power everywhere. Mr Sharma claimed that since elections are due in Gujarat, it is the duty and responsibility of Mr Gandhi to be with the people who are suffering due to floods and no one can stop him.

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram questioned the BJP leadership’s silence on the attack. “Why has national leadership of BJP not condemned the attack on Rahul Gandhi’s car (sic)? Abuse, false charges, suppression of protests and now violence. Nevertheless, BJP will not succeed in making Congress-mukt Bharat (sic),” he tweeted.