NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said BJP’s forebears worked for the East India Company and boycotted the freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, and it is ironic that he is using the imperial company’s name as a slur for the opposition which worked for freedom. The party also said that the PM’s statement shows he has started ‘hating India’.

Reacting to reports that Modi has likened INDIA alliance of opposition parties to “East India Company” and “India Mujahideen”, Rahul Gandhi said, “Call us whatever you want, PM Modi.

We are INDIA. We will help healManipur and wipe the tears of every woman and child. We will bring back love and peace for all her people. We will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur.”
Slamming Modi, Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in a tweet in Hindi: “Modiji, you have become so blind in opposing Congress that you have started hating India itself. I heard that today in frustration you attacked India itself.”

Kharge mocked the PM “for talking about East India Company when INDIA is talking about Manipur which is burning.” “Congress has always been with ‘Mother India’ i.e. ‘Bharat Mata’. The slaves of the British were the political ancestors of BJP and the people of the ideology that killed Gandhiji are telling us that we are directionless. …We are showing the direction. Instead, Modi has become directionless,” he said.

“PM Modi, stop diverting the country’s attention with your absurd remarks. Speak in Parliament about Manipur, do not belittle the dignity of the PM’s post by talking ill about INDIA, that is Bharat,” he added.
The Congress president said the PM is rattled because the opposition parties have formed an alliance and adopted the name “INDIA”.

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We insist PM Modi to come to the Parliament and speak on Manipur issue: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge

“It means BJP is scared after successful meetings of opposition parties in Patna and Bengaluru,” he said.
RJD MP Manoj Jha said it is shameful that Indian PM remembers only Indian Mujahideen and PFI on the mention of ‘INDIA’, and not ISRO, AIIMS, IIT, IIM, IISc, IAS, IPS, IFS, IAF, Indian Army, Indian Navy, ITBP. “Eyes see what your mind is capable of thinking,” Jha said.