Jaipur, Jan 6 (IANS): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Rajasthan's Hawa Mahal constituency, Balmukund Acharya, on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him a member of the "Mummy, Jija, and Jiji's party".
He claimed that individuals like Rahul Gandhi, who are out on bail, only come to India during election season to campaign, and then return to their foreign countries to relax.
BJP MLA Acharya said that despite decades of Independence, such people still lack any emotional connection to India, its culture or its people.
He highlighted the fact that while Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister, was a key figure in the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi continued his foreign travels even after Singh's death, showing a lack of respect during the national mourning called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP MLA said that by asserting that the actions and sentiments of Rahul Gandhi and his aides are widely known, adding that how Congress treated tall political leaders like Deve Gowda with disregard.
According to BJP MLA Acharya, Rahul Gandhi appears to have more loyalty to foreign powers like Italy and Rome than to India.
The BJP MLA also praised the arrangements for the upcoming Kumbh, saying that it would generate economic activity worth crores of rupees, benefitting people in various ways.
Businesses related to flowers, incense, pooja items, clothing, and food distribution will thrive, and the market will see a significant boom as money circulates through different channels, Acharya added.
Reports of Rahul Gandhi's foreign tour during the seven-day mourning period following the demise of India's 14th Prime Minister set off a round of attacks and counter-attacks between the BJP and the Congress.
The BJP accused Gandhi of ‘prioritising’ his New Year holiday over India’s 'architect of economic reforms' late Manmohan Singh, as many reports claimed that the Congress MP had flown abroad to ring in the New Year.
The controversy came close on the heels of bitter political mudslinging between the two parties, first over the Congress’ allegation of humiliation of Singh over his cremation at the city’s Nigambodh Ghat and then the BJP’s counter-attack over senior Congress leaders as well as the Gandhis giving the ash immersion rituals a miss.
The BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to social media to blast the Congress MP for flying abroad at a time when the nation was mourning.
"While the country is mourning Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year," Malviya claimed in his post.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore took to X and retorted, “If Rahul Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you? Get well in the New Year.”