Patna: Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday launched a scathing attack at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, raising a question about the 'undesirable elements' that Gandhi meets when he goes on foreign trips. The criticism came against the backdrop of a recent statement given by former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad wherein he accused Rahul Gandhi of 'meeting undesirable businessmen even outside the country'.
Speaking to the media in Patna, Ravi Shankar Prasad also highlighted that Gandhi becomes 'more aggressive after he comes back from his trips abroad. "He takes a foreign trip every 4-5 months. The burning question is, who does he meet there? Who are these undesirable businessmen that he meets and how is it that after he returns from these trips, his attacks -- on India, on the Prime Minister, on India's progress -- become even sharper?" the leader asked.
He further claimed that Rahul Gandhi has not uttered 'a single word of praise for the country in the past 9 years'. "We are the 5th largest economy in the world today. During the pandemic, when India made its mark with its vaccine innovation on a global level, Rahul questioned that too. This just makes one think if he is working as per the wishes of an anti-India businessman who wants to damage India's global image. What is his agenda?" Ravi Shankar said.
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Referring to Azad's statement, Ravi Shankar said, "If Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was so devoted to Congress once upon a time, has said he can name at least 10 undesirable businessmen that Rahul meets abroad, the nation also wants to know who they are." The BJP wants to know whom does Rahul meet on his trips abroad, he reiterated.
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…their entire family (the Gandhis) have all along had association with businessmen, including him (Rahul Gandhi). He (Rahul) goes abroad and meets undesirable businessmen…
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 9, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
- Ghulam Nabi Azad
Rahul Gandhi must explain who are these businessmen he meets and for what purpose? pic.twitter.com/2juk0GlvhW
">…their entire family (the Gandhis) have all along had association with businessmen, including him (Rahul Gandhi). He (Rahul) goes abroad and meets undesirable businessmen…
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 9, 2023
- Ghulam Nabi Azad
Rahul Gandhi must explain who are these businessmen he meets and for what purpose? pic.twitter.com/2juk0GlvhW…their entire family (the Gandhis) have all along had association with businessmen, including him (Rahul Gandhi). He (Rahul) goes abroad and meets undesirable businessmen…
— BJP (@BJP4India) April 9, 2023
- Ghulam Nabi Azad
Rahul Gandhi must explain who are these businessmen he meets and for what purpose? pic.twitter.com/2juk0GlvhW
Earlier in the day, the official Twitter handle of the BJP also posted a video of the television interview where Azad made the said statement. "their entire family (the Gandhis) have all along had association with businessmen, including him (Rahul Gandhi). He (Rahul) goes abroad and meets undesirable businessmen… - Ghulam Nabi Azad. Rahul Gandhi must explain who are these businessmen he meets and for what purpose?" the tweet caption reads.
In the interview, Azad refused to name anyone 'because of his respect for the Gandhi family', though he said he has exampled of Rahul meeting undesirable businessmen outside the country. "I have great respect for the (Gandhi) family. I don't want to speak anything against them. Otherwise, I would have given examples of where he (Rahul) would go and meet undesirable businessmen even outside the country," Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the interview.