External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today hit out at senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his sharp attacks on the Narendra Modi government during his foreign visits, saying it was not in the national interest to take the country’s internal matters abroad.
“The world is watching us. Rahul Gandhi has a habit of criticising India abroad. I don’t think taking national politics out of the country is in the national interest,” Jaishankar said at a press conference while reacting to Rahul’s recent remarks.
At an event in the US, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family said Prime Minister Modi was trying to drive the Indian car by only looking in the rear-view mirror which would lead to “one accident after another.”
The foreign minister dismissed Rahul’s allegations that democratic institutions were being weakened in the country while expressing confidence that the BJP would win the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“Elections are held, sometimes one party wins and some other times the other party wins. If there is no democracy in the country, such a change should not come. Results for all elections should be the same. 2024 ka result toh wahi hoga, hamein pata hai…,” he said. He said Rahul was under the impression that outside support would work in India.
“If you see, all this narrative (against the government) has been made in India. If this narrative does not work in India or gets less attention in the country, then this narrative is taken outside. He (Rahul) expects that outside support will work in India,” Jaishankar said.
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“We have democracy in the country, I will have something, you will have something. You will have some politics while we will have some politics. I have no objection to whatever he does inside the country but I don’t think taking national politics out of the country is in the national interest. I don’t feel it will increase his credibility,” he added.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in the US, the Congress leader alleged that there was an attack on the democratic structure of the country. “Full-scale attack on our institutions, on our judiciary, on our media and it is your responsibility and our responsibility to defend the idea of India,” he said.
