BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Vadra 'witch-hunt' remark, alleges emergency-era mindset

Guwahati, July 18: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for alleging a "witch-hunt" by the government against his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra. The BJP claimed Gandhi's remarks show that the Congress still operates with an "Emergency-era mindset" and has little regard for the judicial process.

Rahul Gandhi's criticism came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against Vadra in a money-laundering case related to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana.

BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha strongly responded to Gandhi’s comments, asserting that by defending Vadra, Gandhi has indirectly acknowledged knowledge of his brother-in-law’s alleged misdeeds. "Rahul Gandhi’s statement clearly shows he was aware of Robert Vadra’s dark deeds — perhaps he was even complicit," Sinha alleged during a press conference at the party’s headquarters.

Sinha also condemned Gandhi for his recent remarks about Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Referring to Gandhi’s speech at a party workers' meet in Chaygaon, Assam, where he said Sarma “would be jailed for corruption,” Sinha said, “Rahul Gandhi is threatening an elected chief minister without any formal allegation. Does he think he can just pick up people and send them to jail without due process?”

He added, “These statements reflect the same authoritarian mindset the Congress displayed during the Emergency. They want to manipulate the system just as they did 50 years ago.”

Sinha reiterated that Himanta Biswa Sarma is an elected leader with no corruption charges against him and warned that such political rhetoric undermines democratic institutions and the legal process.

- PTI