Salient points of press conference of senior BJP Leader Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad (MP)

Salient Points of Press Conference of BJP Senior and Former Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad

Rahul Gandhi had to go all the way to Ahmedabad to speak on the Waqf issue, yet he stayed silent during the 12–13 hour-long debate in Parliament. This clearly reflects his confusion about when and what to say

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Does Rahul Gandhi believe it’s acceptable that Waqf properties do not have hospitals, schools, orphanages, or skill centres for underprivileged Muslims? Does he have an issue with the amendments made to the Waqf Act that aim to empower widowed Muslim women?

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The nation no longer takes Rahul Gandhi seriously. Rahul often talks about OBCs from every platform, he must explain why there is no OBC member in Congress’s top decision-making body

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There is no OBC Chief Minister in Congress-ruled states, whereas several BJP-ruled states have OBC Chief Ministers. From the organization to the government, the BJP has given leadership opportunities to the OBC community

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On the very stage where Congress pretended to show concern for Sardar Patel, slogans like “Sonia Gandhi Hindustan” and “Rahul Gandhi Hindustan” were being raised. If Sardar Patel’s soul is witnessing this, he would surely be disheartened. We have also seen the era of slogans like “Indira is India, and India is Indira.”

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Rahul Gandhi’s admiration for Sardar Patel only exposes his double standards. Sardar Patel passed away in 1950, yet Congress did not award him the Bharat Ratna for 41 years. He was finally honoured in 1991 by a BJP-supported government

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Inflammatory speeches made during the Murshidabad incident pose a serious threat to law and order and are completely unacceptable. Slogans calling for the transformation of Bengal into Bangladesh were raised. Why hasn’t Mamata Banerjee taken any action so far?

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Congress made no real effort to honor the legacy of Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, or Maulana Azad. It was only after the BJP began to restore their rightful place in history that these great leaders received the respect they truly deserved

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When it comes to the RSS, it seems Rahul Gandhi is simply reading from a script handed to him. His great- maternal grandfather Pandit Nehru (though Rahul mistakenly called him his paternal grandfather), his grandmother Indira Gandhi, and his father Rajiv Gandhi—all consistently attacked the RSS. Yet despite their criticism, the RSS kept growing stronger and has now completed 100 years of existence

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Bharatiya Janata Party Senior and Former Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad addressed a press conference at the party’s headquarters in New Delhi, on Wednesday. During the conference, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized Rahul Gandhi for his delayed response on the Waqf Amendment Act and described his reaction as something read from a slip. He raised questions about the absence of any OBC member in the Congress party’s top committee and criticized the Congress for having ignored leaders like Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Maulana Azad for a long time. On the Murshidabad incident, he demanded action from Mamata Banerjee and stated that bringing transparency in Waqf matters is not wrong, but Congress is making an issue out of it.

Shri Prasad stated that Rahul Gandhi had to wait until Ahmedabad to attempt speaking on the Waqf issue. During the 12–13 hour-long debate in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi did not speak, which shows his lack of clarity on what to say, what not to say, and when to say it. Shri Prasad stated that his comment calling the Waqf Act unconstitutional raises three important questions-:

·      Does Rahul Gandhi consider it acceptable that out of 8 lakh acres of Waqf property, there is no hospital, school, orphanage, or skill center for the Muslim community?

·      Does he have any objection to the amendments in the Waqf Act aimed at the upliftment of widows in the Muslim community?

·      Does Rahul Gandhi, who talks about OBCs, have any issue with the empowerment of backward and extremely backward Pasmanda Muslims through these amendments?

Shri Prasad stated that Rahul Gandhi has no answers to these questions. When questioned for not speaking on Waqf, he gave a response only after several days, and even then, he did not address the core issues related to Waqf.

Former Union Minister Shri Prasad, presenting a video of the session before journalists, said that the very platform from which concerns about Sardar Patel were expressed was also used to say that ‘Sonia Gandhi Hindustan Hai,’ ‘Rahul Gandhi Hindustan Hai’. During the Emergency, Congress raised slogans like “Indira is India, India is Indira” and “Indira Tere Naam Ki Jai, Subah Ki Jai, Shaam Ki Jai.” Despite Indira Gandhi’s defeat and political downfall after the Emergency, these people continue to raise such slogans even today. Rahul Gandhi needs to understand that India is far greater, and the prestige, legacy, and dignity of India are much bigger than any political party. Rahul Gandhi’s affection for Sardar Patel is surprising because Sardar Patel passed away in 1950, but he was awarded the Bharat Ratna 40 years later in 1991 under a BJP-supported government. Why did Congress not give him the Bharat Ratna for 41 years? Sardar Patel was a true jewel of the nation. Out of 556 princely states, Sardar Patel integrated 555 into India without any issues, and only Jammu & Kashmir, which was under Nehru’s charge, faced such a problem that it had to be resolved by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi through the abrogation of Article 370. Why did Congress not award the Bharat Ratna to Sardar Patel for 41 years? Maulana Azad passed away in 1959 and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992, because PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister in 1991. Had a member of the Gandhi family been Prime Minister in 1991, even that would have been left for Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee to do. This reflects their narrow and petty mindset.

Shri Prasad stated that Congress did nothing for the legacy of Sardar Patel, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Maulana Azad, and it was only when the BJP started giving these great personalities their authentic recognition that the country received their true honor. Did Congress build any grand memorial in memory of Sardar Patel? It was the BJP that built the ‘Statue of Unity’ in Gujarat, which today draws millions of visitors from around the world. Did Congress ever install a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose? It was the BJP that installed his grand statue at Rajpath, which made the nation proud. Now, even when Congress is being forced to do something, they are not doing it wholeheartedly. Do it with some sincerity, with devotion. If somewhere the soul of Sardar Patel is watching this “Sonia Gandhi Hindustan, Rahul Gandhi Hindustan” statement, then even he must be feeling saddened.

BJP Senior Leaser Shri Prasad said that Rahul Gandhi keeps talking about OBCs repeatedly, but he should be informed whether there is any OBC member in the Congress party's highest decision-making committee. Only Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi are there—that is the reality of the Congress party. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi elevated members of the Dalit and tribal communities to the highest constitutional positions, making Shri Ram Nath Kovind from the Dalit community and Smt. Droupadi Murmu, from the tribal community the President of India. It was the BJP that gave constitutional status to the OBC Commission, not Congress. There is no OBC Chief Minister in Congress-ruled states, while BJP has several across its states. From organization to government, BJP has given leadership to OBCs. Those who talk about OBC census don’t give space to OBCs in their own party. The government of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is dedicated to the development of Dalits, tribals, backward, and extremely backward communities. BJP doesn’t just talk, it delivers. Giving national honour to heroes like Birsa Munda is an example of the Modi government’s commitment.

Shri Prasad stated that Rahul Gandhi repeatedly questions the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, but he has never truly understood the Sangh. Rahul Gandhi must have been handed a script about the Sangh as well, because his great-grandfather Pandit Nehru, his grandmother Indira Gandhi, and his father Rajiv Gandhi—all together severely criticised the Sangh, yet the Sangh kept growing and has completed 100 years this year. The Sangh has always been dedicated to the country’s development, nation-building, social service, and patriotism. For about 56 of the past 75 years, the Gandhi family has kept targeting the Sangh, but even today, the Sangh continues to move forward.

Former Union Minister Shri Prasad strongly condemned the Murshidabad incident, stating that the kind of provocative speeches delivered there are not only unacceptable but also pose a serious challenge to law and order. In this incident, slogans were raised to turn Bengal into Bangladesh. When will Mamata Banerjee take action against them? This bill has been brought in support of poor women, widows, and the backward Muslim community. The Waqf issue is very straightforward, and the only question is whether the Mutawalli is functioning properly or not. Is it wrong to conduct an audit of the property, ensure its maintenance, and establish regulations? There used to be a prominent leader about whom it was said, “Na Khata, Na Bahi, Jo Chacha Ka Hai Wahi Sahi.” The current situation with Waqf is the same: “Na Khata, Na Bahi, Jo Mutawalli Keh De, Wahi Sahi.” The BJP simply wants to make this system transparent. Why is there so much uproar over it?

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