BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi, says Congress spread hatred

JAMMU: In a scathing attack, BJP today hit back at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that BJP spread anger among people, saying as per facts, it was Congress which did so.

"Congress pretends to be 'secular' but it is actually quite communal. Its hand is soaked in the blood of every community -- Hindu, Muslim and Sikh," BJP's state election media in-charge and spokesperson Arun Kumar Gupta said.

"The facts and figures are saying that it is Congress which spread hatred and anger among the people. Congress always tries to scare people on the name of secular and communal lines," he said.

Attacking Rahul, Gupta cited riots since the independence (Bengal Riots 1947) and said all these happened when Congress was in power.

In these riots, almost 15,000 people lost their lives. Who can forget the Nellie Massacre in Assam 1983 in which the unofficial toll goes well above 5,000, he said.

"Not to mention the atrocities during the 1975 emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in which Congress killed or witnessed the killing of people from almost all sections of the Indian population. May be that is why Congress claims to be 'secular' -- because it treats all communities with equal disrespect," he he said.

Yesterday, addressing a rally in Poonch, Rahul had said that "BJP and NDA government cause rifts between people. They spread anger, make big promises and get power. These BJP leaders sit behind the security wall, and when the people experience violence they don't get affected".