BJP not against any dynasty but my family: Priyanka Gandhi

On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted political “dynasts” during electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said the BJP was only against her family, which has not bowed down to it. The Congress general secretary’s sharp rebuttal came during an election programme in the Tamkuhi Raj area of Kushinagar district where she campaigned for her party candidates ahead of the March 3 assembly polls.

In his speech in Maharajganj, PM Modi had called out “ghor pariwarvadis” (staunch dynasts) in an attack aimed at the Samajwadi Party. In the same speech, Modi gave several examples to stress “how dynasts cared only for their family interests” while the BJP worked for the welfare of the poor and deprived sections of the society.

While addressing an election rally in Kushinagar, Priyanka Gandhi said, “They talk of the dynasty when all the children of politicians have moved to their own party! Which dynasty were they against or abstaining from?” “They were against only my family because my family will never bow down to them. They know this that even if they kill us, we are neither going to compromise with the BJP nor bow down to them,” she added.

Her remark comes in the wake of several prominent second-generation politicians like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, R P N Singh switching over to the BJP from the Congress in recent times.

During her speech, Priyanka Gandhi also said she was being targeted with allegations of being linked to terrorism despite her father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi, both former prime ministers, sacrificing their lives for the country.

“Identify the leaders who laid their lives for the country. The leaders whom these people call terrorists. Fingers are raised at my family, they say we are connected with terrorism,” she rued.

And then she asserted, “I said yes, I am linked with terrorism because my father was shot dead by terrorists, my grandmother was assassinated by terrorists.” “My father and grandmother lost their lives for this country and they, who are selling all public properties and running a government for big industrialists, today they are pointing fingers at them,” she added.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is leading the electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh for the Congress, which is contesting the state polls solo after three decades, said her party was concerned about the UP and the country. “This is why when we come to the people, we speak the truth and say it from our hearts. I say from the heart because I care about you, I am worried for this state and the country,” she said.

“My ancestors and your ancestors, the forefathers of the people of this state got India her freedom. Was the freedom earned, development done, institutions raised so that one day these people could sell the country? So that the youth of the country would be jobless and without any support,” she said.

Citing examples of freebies doled out by the BJP-led governments in the state and in the Centre, the Congress leader claimed it was a deliberate effort to keep the people disempowered and dependent on the government. She said voting is a right granted to people by the Constitution and a means to bring about a change in political discourse.

Kushinagar goes to the polls on March 3 along with nine more districts of eastern UP. The election results will be declared on March 10.