Congress party activists on Tuesday, 2 March burnt Ghulam Nabi Azad’s effigy in Jammu, outside the Press Club after the veteran party leader’s remarks in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
The Congress party activists from the Youth Congress and National Students’ Union of India sloganeered against Azad, demanding him to be ousted from the party, and accused him of working against the party, and weakening it “for personal gains” at the behest of the BJP, reported PTI.
The protest was led by former general secretary of J-K Congress, Mohammad Shahnawaz Choudhary, who said, “Congress has always put him (Azad) on the top and when the party needed his experience at the time of crisis, he came to Jammu and Kashmir and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi who deprived us of statehood.”
Choudhary, a District Development Council (DDC) member, stated that the protesters are on the streets to express their anger.
Adding that Rahul and Sonia Gandhi are the “real leaders” of the party, Choudhary reportedly said, "We are foot soldiers of the party and anyone conspiring against the party leadership will have to face our anger.”
Ghulam Ahmad Mir, the chief of Congress in Jammu & Kashmir, has been called to Delhi to discuss the protests, and told ANI that he is “dismayed” over Azad’s ‘doublespeak’, praising the prime minister in Jammu, reported IANS.
What Did Azad Say?
Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday, 28 February, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as someone who “does not hide his true self.” Azad, according to media reports, was speaking at a function organised by Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust in Jammu.
In his speech, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister went on to draw parallels between himself and the PM, despite them being “political rivals”.
“I like a lot of things about many leaders. There are many big leaders. Even our prime minister comes from a village and he used to sell tea. We are political rivals, but I appreciate the fact that he does not hide his true self.”Ghulam Nabi Azad
Azad also said that those who hide their true selves are living in a bubble, and that a person should be proud (of his reality).
PM Modi Praises Azad
PM Modi had earlier in February teared up and delivered an emotionally charged speech on Azad’s retirement from the Rajya Sabha. Modi had bid farewell to Azad on Tuesday, 9 February, calling him a “true friend”.
Modi had also said that the Opposition leader who will replace Azad will “have difficulty matching his work because he (Azad) was not only concerned about his party but also about the country and the House.”
Meanwhile, Azad had lauded Modi back then, too, saying that the latter knew how to keep the personal and the political separate.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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