BJP attacks Rahul Gandhi over Kerala issues, asks why he is not holding Chhatron Ki Goonj there

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday questioned why Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was not holding his Chhatron Ki Goonj campaign in Kerala, alleging that the state was facing issues including unemployment, paper leaks and irregularities in recruitment examinations.

Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrashekhar said Gandhi's student outreach campaign, which focuses on paper leaks, examination irregularities, rising fees and employment concerns, should also address issues in the Congress-ruled state.

“Why is he not doing Chhatron Ki Goonj in Keralam where there are paper leaks, where the Kerala Public Service Commission [exam] candidates are not getting the promised jobs…” Chandrashekhar said.

Gandhi launched Chhatron Ki Goonj in June as a student-focused campaign centred on concerns including paper leaks, examination issues, high fees and employment. The Congress has said the initiative seeks to provide students and job aspirants with a platform to raise grievances and demand reforms.

Chandrashekhar raises unemployment and corruption allegations

Chandrashekhar accused Gandhi of diverting attention from what he described as corruption and other irregularities in Kerala and other Congress-ruled states.

“Keralam has the highest unemployment rate… why is the state government not prosecuting the former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan who they had accused of widespread corruption,” he said.

He also alleged that there was collusion between the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala.

Chandrashekhar further questioned Gandhi over his criticism of industrial groups such as the Adani and Ambani groups, saying Congress chief ministers do not miss opportunities to invite them.

He also criticised Gandhi for not speaking out against an Indian Union Muslim League leader who, according to Chandrashekhar, had said women should not step out and that there was no question of equal rights for them.

A controversy over remarks on women and their presence in public spaces involving Samastha leader Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar had recently drawn political reactions in Kerala. Congress leaders criticised the remarks, while IUML ministers N Samsudheen and K M Shaji had chosen not to comment on the issue at the time.

BJP leader escalates attack on Gandhi

Chandrashekhar also launched a personal attack on Gandhi, calling him “a preeminent fraudster” in Indian politics and accusing him of being a practitioner of the propaganda methods associated with Joseph Goebbels, the chief propagandist of Nazi Germany.

“He has been repeatedly proved to be wrong. He claimed that elections are being stolen while his own party has also been winning elections. He claims the economy is dead, when we have the fastest-growing economy in the world at 7.8%,” Chandrashekhar said.

In a separate set of remarks on Thursday, Chandrashekhar again accused Gandhi of relying on what he described as misinformation while attacking the Election Commission and the government. He cited Gandhi's earlier claims concerning elections and EVMs as examples of what he considered misleading allegations.

Chandrashekhar targets Gandhi over Modi remarks

Chandrashekhar also criticised Gandhi for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “deshdrohi” or anti-national.

“His comment that the PM [Prime Minister] is a deshdrohi [anti-national] is the ultimate sign of his politics being fake, unauthentic, and designed to mislead. This is politics of fraud and lies, and he has no positive message for this country or the state of Keralam,” Chandrashekhar said.

His remarks came amid an ongoing political confrontation between the BJP leader and Congress leaders in Kerala over Gandhi's attacks on the Union government and the Election Commission. Chandrashekhar has also recently demanded that Gandhi apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission, saying he would otherwise continue using the “fraud” description for the Congress leader.