Remarks on Aishwarya Rai, Varanasi 'Drunkards' & Threat to Journo: In UP, Rahul Gandhi's 'New Low in Politics' on Display

Rahul Gandhi, who is on ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ in Uttar Pradesh, has been courting controversy over his remarks. Three videos of the Congress leader have been doing rounds on social media — threatening a journalist, mocking Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai and claiming that the ‘future of Uttar Pradesh is dancing drunk.

“This is result of Rahul Gandhi’s political frustration. He is losing election after election. People are leaving his ‘Nyay Yatra’, many are not joining it; his allies are leaving him and have no confidence in him. But the commentary he has made. He has not only called the youths of Varanasi drunkards but has also been continuously attacking someone who is not in politics — Aishwarya Rai,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said while speaking to News18.

He further said, “Gandhi has also dragged Amitabh Bachchan in his comments. Amitabh Bachchan is 80-years-old. He is a senior person who has had great relations in the past with Indira ji and Rajiv ji. And saying things like ‘Aishwarya toh Amitabh ke saath naachti hai‘…the comments come from very misogynist and patriarchal space. And by the way, Amitabh ji‘s wife, Jaya Bachchan, is a member of Parliament from Samajwadi Party. What kind of commentary is this?”

Reacting to BJP’s attacks, Congress leader Udit Raj defended Rahul Gandhi over remarks on Aishwarya Rai and said “it is an example”.

“It is a metaphor; it is an example. And everybody quotes examples. Gandhi is not insulting people but educating people that media is not focusing on real issues but covering other unimportant matters. This a very apt statement he is making,” Raj told News18.

Rahul Gandhi’s Comments on Aishwarya Rai

The Congress leader’s remark on Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan and his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan came while criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ram Temple consecration ceremony held last month. Aishwarya, incidentally, did not attend the event.

In a recent address during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the absence of invitation to Dalits, backward classes, and even the President, labeling it as an insult to these sections of society.

“By inviting industrialists and Amitabh Bachchan to the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, Modi gave the message that the country’s 73 percentage of people has no importance,” Gandhi remarked at a gathering in Lalganj Indira Chowk, Rampur Khas Assembly constituency.

In a separate rally he said, “Aishwarya will be seen dancing and Bachchan saab will do a Balle Balle!”

Singer Sona Mohapatra also reacted to controversy, and said, “What’s with politicians demeaning women in their speeches to get some brownie points in a sexist landscape? Dear Rahul Gandhi, sure someone has demeaned your own mother (Sonia Gandhi), sister (Priyanka Gandhi) similarly in the past and irrespective you ought to know better? Also, Aishwarya Rai dances beautifully.”

Rahul Gandhi Calling Varanasi Youths ‘Drunkard’

Addressing the public in Amethi on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi claimed that during his visit to Varanasi he saw people lying drunk on roads.

In a veiled attack at PM Modi, whose Lok Sabha constituency is Varanasi, Gandhi said, “I went to Varanasi and I saw people lying on roads drunk. The youths of Uttar Pradesh are on a trip after consuming liquor by night. On the other hand, there is the Ram Mandir which is only visited by the likes of PM Modi, Ambani and Adani. You will see all our billionaires there but not a single person from a backward class or the Dalit community.”

“Your place is only limited to roads for begging while they (Centre’s alleged corporate cronies) keep minting money,” he added.

The Varanasi constituency has seen a huge influx of funds from the Centre and state government and is also a part of the Smart City mission, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015.

Rahul Gandhi Threatening Journalist

BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a video of Gandhi from his yatra, where the Congress leader can be seen asking a person in the crowd “aapke maalik ka kya naam hai?” Malviya claimed that this person is journalist Shiv Prasad Yadav.

“What’s the name of your boss?” asked Gandhi, while asking the crowd not to hit him. Some reports claimed that the journalist was beaten up by Congress leaders.

A report in Indian Express further quoted him as asking Yadav about the owner of his channel: “Kya woh OBC hai? Nahin. Kya woh Dalit hai? Nahin (Is he OBC? No. Is he Dalit? No).”

Malviya called Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour an insult to the Yadav community of Uttar Pradesh and asked why Akhilesh Yadav was silent on the matter.