‘Ailing Cong taking medicines from compounders, not docs’
NEW DELHI, Aug 29:
Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad today said he had assumed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be a “crude man” but he had displayed humanity while recalling a terror-related incident during the farewell speech for Azad in Rajya Sabha.
After Azad quit the Congress, the party had alleged that he was “Modi-fied” and several leaders attacked him citing Modi’s speech in Rajya Sabha in February last year in which the teary-eyed Prime Minister had praised Azad as a “true friend”.
Modi had recalled the 2007 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on a bus carrying people from his State Gujarat when he was the Chief Minister and his interaction with Azad, who was then the Chief Minister of J-K.
Speaking to reporters, Azad said Modi’s emotional speech at his retirement was given a different twist by some “illiterate” Congressmen and their emotions expressed in the House were about the tragedy and not for each other.
“I assumed that Modi sahab was a crude man as he did not have children or his own family… And would not care but at least he has shown humanity,” he said and narrated the heartrending aftermath of the grenade explosion inside the Gujarat tourist bus.
“When the Chief Minister of Gujarat called, I was crying loudly. He heard me crying and he was told that I cannot talk right now and have to treat those who are injured.”
“When I talked to the Chief Minister to ask for two planes, one for the dead and the other for the injured and I again cried… He (Modi) turned emotional while referring to my state,” Azad said.
Recalling Modi’s tears in the Rajya Sabha, Azad said he also broke down when the Prime Minister spoke about the tragic incident and his response.
Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, he said it was Rahul who hugged Modi in Parliament not him.
Asked about Congress’ criticism, Azad said Modi is merely an excuse and they were riled ever since he and 22 other Congressmen wrote to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020, challenging their way of functioning.
He was referring to the letter sent by the G-23 dissident group seeking large-scale reforms in the party.
Azad alleged that he has been “forced to leave my home” as they were not heard.
“After that letter, there have been many meetings and we put forth our views before Sonia Gandhi but none of our suggestions were implemented,” he said.
Azad said that he did not sleep for six days before and after writing the G-23 letter because “we gave blood for the party”.
He said his respect for Sonia Gandhi is the same as it was 30 years ago and it is the same for Rahul Gandhi as he belongs to the family of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
Hitting back at Azad for his criticism, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “After such a long career, courtesy entirely the party he’s been tasked to slander, by giving interviews indiscriminately, Azad diminishes himself further.”
“What’s he afraid of that he’s justifying his treachery every minute? He can be easily exposed but why stoop to his level?” he said on Twitter on Monday.
Meanwhile, Azad today said the “ailing” party needs medicines which are being provided by compounders instead of doctors.
Days after quitting the party, he claimed its foundation has turned very weak and the organisation can fall anytime but the Congress leadership doesn’t have the time to set things right.
The former Congress leader also alleged that Rahul Gandhi does not have the aptitude or interest in politics.
Azad claimed that the leadership being projected in States is making party members leave instead of uniting them.
Asserting that he belonged to the Congress ideology and never wanted to quit the organisation with which he grew from his student days, Azad claimed that he was “forced out” of the party.
He stressed that he will not join the BJP as it will not help his politics in Jammu and Kashmir. The former Congress leader said that he would soon set up a new party in Jammu and Kashmir as the Assembly elections could be announced anytime.
“I can only give my best wishes to the Congress, but it needs medicines more than my wishes. And, these medicines are being provided by compounders instead of doctors and there is a need for specialists,” Azad told reporters.
“The leadership has no time for setting things right in the party. The Congress is providing such leaders in States and promoting those who are making people quit rather than uniting them with the party,” he alleged.
The party’s foundation has turned very weak and the organisation can fall anytime, Azad claimed while citing it as a reason why he and some leaders quit the Congress now.
“There are people who do clerical work in the Congress and do plants against leaders,” he said while attacking those who have attacked him in the organisation. “I have been forced to leave my home as we were not heard within.”
Azad took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying it was the former Congress chief who hugged Modi in Parliament and thus it was he who was “entangled” with the Prime Minister.
“The BJP cannot help me in politics in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP has a separate constituency. Those spreading such misinformation are playing into the BJP’s hands and this is Congress propaganda against me,” he claimed.
On post-poll alliance, Azad said there are other parties also and the new organisation can align with them too.
Continuing his attack on Rahul Gandhi, he said, “It seems he does not have the aptitude for politics. We tried to make him a leader and made many efforts in this regard.”
Azad alleged the Congress is “sinking” further every day and people are quitting the organisation, as they are feeling so frustrated that they are looking for any small alternative.
“We will set up a small unit in Jammu and Kashmir soon,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister replied to a question on his future prospects. He, however, clarified that he has not chalked out his national-level plans yet which will be formulated in the coming days.
Terming his resignation letter only a “tip of the iceberg”, Azad indicated that he will continue to attack the organisation.
Azad also said that he did not sleep for six days before and after writing the G-23 letter because “we gave blood for the party” but it is “saddening to see that people in the Congress are useless that they do not know about us”.
Azad was a CWC member and part of the group of 23 dissident leaders who had written to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 seeking large-scale reforms and an organisational overhaul, including elections at all levels.
Ninety per cent of leaders had left the party and only his group was left, Azad claimed, adding ex-MLAs and former Ministers have all come with him, otherwise they would also have left and joined the BJP or others. (PTI)
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