With each passing day, the Gujarat Assembly Elections are turning out to be the lowest levels seen in Indian Politics in recent times. After the so-called slip of the tongue by Mani Shankar Aiyar calling the Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘Neech Aadmi’, the political debate has turned to an open-for-all mudslinging between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Party.
PM Modi has since linked the slur to a meeting at Aiyar’s home and the involvement of Pakistan in Gujarat Elections. Narendra Modi has linked the dinner meeting held at Aiyar’s home in Delhi to the possibility of Pakistan trying to influence Gujarat Elections. Modi has targeted Aiyar saying the meeting and dinner hosted in Delhi for former Pakistan foreign affairs minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, also attended by former PM Manmohan Singh, former Vice President Hamid Ansari, former Army Chief Deepak Kapoor and the Pakistan High Commissioner, is where the conspiracy to influence Gujarat Elections was discussed.
Rahul Gandhi, who is on the campaign trail in Gujarat, on Monday at Palanpur rally asked the PM to stick to Gujarat Elections only and asked him to focus on state issues. The Congress Party was also quick to call PM’s allegations as absurd and “highly irresponsible and outrageous” and has asked the PM to apologise for his off-handed remarks.
The Pakistan Foreign Office twitted, saying, “India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible”.
India should stop dragging Pakistan into its electoral debate and win victories on own strength rather than fabricated conspiracies, which are utterly baseless and irresponsible.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) December 11, 2017
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad responded to the Pakistan Foreign Office Tweet saying; “Completely abhor outside interference in India’s internal affairs. Pakistan’s promotion of terrorism in India is well known but Pakistan must stop giving us lessons, we are proud of our democracy. Condemn this unwarranted statement.”
However, not many people seem to agree with the issue being made out by the Prime Minister and leader of Janata Dal (United) – JD(U) who is an ally of the BJP said it was too much to link the Pakistan to Gujarat Elections.
BJP’s own Shatrughan Sinha took to Twitter to say: “Hon’ble Sir! Just to win elections anyhow, and that too at the fag end of the process, is it a must to come up with & endorse new, unsubstantiated & unbelievable stories everyday against political opponents? Now linking them to Pak High Commissioner & Generals?! Incredible!.”
Hon’ble Sir!
Just to win elections anyhow, and that too at the fag end of the process, is it a must to come up with & endorse new, unsubstantiated & unbelievable stories everyday against political opponents? Now linking them to Pak High Commissioner & Generals?! Incredible!.1>2— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) December 11, 2017