Rahul Gandhi Asked For Show Of Hands Over "Chowkidaar" Remark: GN Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad To NDTV: Ghulam Nabi Azad said it was unthinkable for politicians like him to launch a personal attack on opponents.

Rahul Gandhi's "Chowkidar Chor Hai" campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 discomfited many Congress veterans, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the party last week, said today.

After the Congress lost the election and the BJP won a second straight term, Rahul Gandhi quit as Congress president. At a fiery, marathon meeting of the Congress in which he resigned, Rahul Gandhi said it had become impossible for him to function because of the resistance of the seniors in the party. He cited the example of his "Chowkidar Chor Hai" campaign that he said no one backed.

Rahul Gandhi, according to Mr Azad, asked for a show of hands for those who ever used his slogan while campaigning. Senior leaders like Manmohan Singh, AK Antony, P Chidambaram and Mr Azad were present at the time.

"He made everybody raise their hands- those who said chowkidar chor hai. I was sunk in my chair. So many senior people who have been Chief Minister, ministers with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao- how do you expect them to speak this language in public? We can right, left and centre oppose somebody but not attack them personally."