"BJP Desperate To Silence Me": Rahul Gandhi Speaks Out On Sikh Remark
NDTV
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had led the charge against Mr Gandhi, accusing the Congress of having an "anti-national agenda".
Having clarified his remarks on reservation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday broke his silence on the other statement - on religious freedom - he had made during his recent US visit that made him the target of attacks from a battery of BJP leaders, including PM Narendra Modi. The BJP, Mr Gandhi said, is "desperate to silence him". The BJP has been spreading lies about my remarks in America.I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad - is there anything wrong in what I have said? Shouldn't India be a country where every Sikh - and every Indian - can freely practice their religion… pic.twitter.com/sxNdMavR1X
Addressing an event in Virginia's Herndon on September 9, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was speaking about religious freedom in India when he asked a Sikh member of the audience his name and said, "The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India; or whether, he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a 'kada' in India; or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to a gurdwara. That's what the fight is about, and not just for him, but for all religions... We are of the opinion that every state, tradition and language is as important as any other one. ".
The Congress leader was accused of making attempts to divide India and, on Saturday, the Karnataka BJP also filed a police complaint against him over the remarks. Taking to X the same day, a defiant Mr Gandhi said he wanted to ask every member of the Sikh community, in India and abroad, whether he had done anything wrong, and accused the BJP of spreading lies.
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