Responding to criticisms that she encouraged the children raising abusive slogans against the Prime Minister, Congress General Secretary (Uttar Pradesh East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday accused the BJP of removing a part from the tape which shows her stopping the kids from doing so.
“I stopped the children from raising objectionable slogans against the Prime Minister. But the BJP edited the tape, removed the part where I was stopping them and are making allegations, which is typical of them. They twist the truth, while I speak the truth,” she said.
On Tuesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting the Amethi parliamentary seat against Congress President Rahul Gandhi, had strongly criticised the Congress leader over the incident, terming it ‘Uncouth to the core’.
The clarifications come in the wake of a video doing rounds showing Priyanka, during her campaigning in Amethi, laughing while some children raise pro-Rahul Gandhi slogans along with “Chowkidar chor hai”.
Meanwhile, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, contesting from Rae Bareli, on Thursday joined her daughter who is reaching every pocket of the constituency to seek support for her.
While campaigning in Rae Bareli, Vadra alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and UP had neglected the region for political reasons. “The welfare schemes of the government were not implemented here as it is the constituency of the Congress leader,” she said.
She also said the BJP government had done nothing for the farmers, women and youths and their future seemed bleak.
For the past three days, Priyanka has been campaigning in Amethi and Rae Bareli.
Earlier, while talking to reporters in between her street corner meetings in Uchahar and Jagatpur, she had reiterated that the Congress is the only party in the country which is fighting against the BJP. “Both the parties differ in ideologies and will continue to fight against each other. We have ensured that our candidates are strong and will not benefit BJP at any cost,” she said.
The Congress leader also clarified that she had said anything about giving weak candidates in the elections to benefit the BJP.
‘I’ve not said that I am putting weak candidates. I’ve said it very clearly that the Congress is fighting this election on its own strength. I’d rather die than benefit the BJP. We have chosen candidates that are either fighting very strongly or cutting BJP votes.”
“My statements are being distorted to create political sensation,” she alleged.
Gandhi during the day campaigned in Amethi in favour her son. She met party workers at Khalispur. Later, she left for Rae Bareli to join her daughter in the campaigning.
