BJP President Amit Shah targeted Rahul Gandhi over his decision to contest from Wayanad seat in Kerala in addition to his home turf, Amethi, stating that the Congress President is contesting from such a seat where when a procession is taken out, “one cannot make out whether the place is India or Pakistan.”
“And this Rahul baba, for his alliance, is contesting from such a seat where when a procession is taken out, it is difficult to make out whether it is India or Pakistan. He is contesting from such a seat,” Amit Shah said, addressing a rally in Nagpur on Tuesday, a day before the campaigning for the Vidarbha region ended.
Shah’s statement comes after pictures of Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow held in Wayanad when he had come to file his nomination went viral on social media. Visuals of the roadshow showed a massive crowd was seen waving different flags – including the banner of the Indian National Congress and the flag of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is one of the six parties that are a part of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. The pictures of the green flags were later shared on social media with misleading captions claiming that Pakistani flags and Islamic flags were waved at Rahul Gandhi’s rally. Amit Shah too is portraying the IUML flags as Pakistani or Islamic flags.
This is not the first time the BJP has lashed out at Rahul Gandhi over flags seen at the road show. Last week, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that the Muslim League is a ‘virus’ that has infected Congress. IUML has been one of the major allies of the Congress in Kerala and an important constituent of the Congress-led UDF which was formed in 1980. In fact, IUML has been a coalition partner of the Congress since the 1960 elections.
Rahul Gandhi had filed his nomination from Wayanad constituency in Kalpetta amidst much fanfare on April 4. He was accompanied by his sister and National General Secretary of Congress, Priyanka Gandhi as well as other prominent state party leaders.
In addition to Wayanad, one of the economically backward regions of Kerala, Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the traditional Congress stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Kerala goes to polls on April 23 and the results will be announced on May 23.