Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 14: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks, advising him to study his party's history.
He added that today India enjoys real democracy, economic freedom, and political liberty under democratic leadership.
Speaking to ANI, Rao said, Rahul Gandhi's grandmother disrespected the judiciary, imposed emergency, and sidelined constitutional institutions, unlike today's real democracy.
"Rahul Gandhi should know his own Congress Party's history. His grandmother did not even respect the judiciary... then they declared an emergency... all the constitutional institutions were made defunct, and only one-man rule was in place... What does democracy mean to Rahul Gandhi during this period? Real India enjoys real democracy, real economic freedom, and real political freedom now... The Congress party was ruling like the British. Today, the country is under democratic leadership and a democratic setup. So, Rahul Gandhi, before speaking, should read his own party's history and the country's history," Rao said.
The remarks came after Rahul Gandhi, addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of St Thomas English High School in Gudalur, Nilgiris district, spoke about the importance of youth in safeguarding democracy.
On Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the democratic system in India was under attack from `those who are running the government.'
"...India is a democratic country, but today our democratic system is under attack. It is under attack by those in government, by the people who are actually running the government. They're attacking our election commission. They're attacking our different institutions. They are threatening people who don't agree with their ideology. So for that we need young people like you who are brave, who are confident and who are not scared of asking questions," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a event.
Rahul Gandhi's visit to Tamil Nadu comes in the backdrop of the state assembly elections to be held in 2026.
The politics in the state have heated up amid a triangular contest between the ruling DMK-Congress alliance, the BJP-AIADMK-led alliance and the debutant actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Khazhagam (TVK).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also visit Tamil Nadu on January 23.