"Complete democracy": Ravi Shankar Prasad defends centre, accuses Rahul Gandhi of "insulting" India

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of "insulting" India on foreign soil while defending the centre against his "attack on democracy" charge. While addressing a press conference here, Prasad implied that Rahul Gandhi was making such remarks because he wants power. He further accused the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha of "abusing" Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's development.

"Rahul Gandhi is abroad. It would have been nice if he had wished well, but he is attacking India. He says everything baseless. He says there is no democracy in India. There is complete democracy, but the problem with Rahul Gandhi is that he wants power," Prasad, who is a former Union Minister, said. "In Bogota, Colombia, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi stated that there is no democracy in India and people don't have the freedom to speak. Rahul Gandhi abuses PM Modi, development of the nation, the most," he added.

The BJP MP stated that the public will not vote for Gandhi if he keeps on insulting India during his foreign trips. Prasad further noted that Gandhi's love for China was evident when he claimed that India could not be a global power. "If you go abroad and insult India, the public will not vote for you, and you will not win the seats that you won this time. Now you're praising China, saying that India can't become a major global power, but China can lead the world. Today, India is the world's fourth-largest economy and is on track to become the third-largest. Your love for China is evident, and you never miss an opportunity to insult India. We strongly condemn this," Prasad said.

His remarks come after Gandhi on Thursday took a swipe at the Narendra Modi government, asserting that the biggest challenge India is witnessing is the attack on its democracy. Speaking at an event at EIA University of Colombia, Gandhi highlighted the issue of "structural flaws" and suggested that the country's diverse traditions must be allowed to thrive.

"India has strong capabilities in areas like engineering and healthcare, so I am very optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are also flaws in the structure that India has to correct. The biggest challenge is the attack on democracy taking place in India," Gandhi said. The Congress leader argued that the democratic system remains crucial for diversity, allowing different traditions, customs, and ideas, including religious beliefs, to thrive. However, he added, the democratic system in India is under attack, which is a "major risk" or threat.

"India has multiple religions, traditions, and languages -- in fact, the country is essentially a conversation between all these people and cultures. Different traditions, religions, and ideas require space, and the best method for creating that space is the democratic system," Gandhi said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on this democratic system, and that is a major risk. Another big risk is the tension between different conceptions in parts of the country. With 16-17 major languages and many religions, it is crucial to allow these diverse traditions to thrive and give them the space they need," he added.

Furthermore, Gandhi lashed out at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that "cowardice" was at the heart of their ideology. "This is the nature of BJP-RSS. If you notice a statement of the foreign minister, he said, 'China is much more powerful than us. How can I pick a fight with them?' At the heart of the ideology is cowardice," the Congress leader said. (ANI)

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