BJP hits back, questions presence of Imran Masood during Rahul Gandhi's padyatra

NEW DELHI: Under attack over the issue of intolerance, BJP on Monday hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of practising double-standards as it questioned his presence with hate speech accused Imran Masood during his 'padyatra' in Saharanpur.

“Today he (Masood) is welcoming Rahul Gandhi and Rahul is happy to be welcomed. Rahul Gandhi please tell the nation what is your stand about what Imran Masood and all that he had uttered," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said.

During the LS polls, Masood had said he will “chop" Narendra Modi (then BJP's PM candidate) into pieces and was subsequently arrested and jailed. BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma also accused Gandhi of having double-standards.

In his defence, Masood said he was not “communal," adding that he had apologised for his remarks.“Who does not commit mistakes? I had apologised too. BJP spews venom agains Muslims and Modiji re mains silent," he said.

Sharma made light of Gandhi's pro-farmers `padyatra' saying the Congress leader had no right to talk about their interest as they had suffered the most dur ing the 10-year UPA rule that saw a large number of suicides by farmers.

“When Congress was in power, it did little to help farmers. They were always under stress due to a host of issues, including shortage of urea. So many farmers committed suicide and now he is talking their welfare. He has no moral righ to do so," he said.

Instead of attacking the Modi government, Gandh should introspect over the shrinking base of Congress and why it was losing everywhere and now forced to ride piggyback on a “corrupt" politician like Lalu Prasad, Sharma said.

Congress rejected BJP's charge against Rahul for presence of “hate speech" accused Imran Masood during his `padyatra' in Saharanpur, saying party vicepresident himself has disapproved the controversial remark in 2014.

Defending presence of Masood in Rahul's padyatra, party spokesman RPN Singh said Congress never approves such controversial statements and there is zero-tolerance against such remarks in the party .