"Pathetic", Azad's attack on Rahul demonstrates his "loyalty" to Modi: Congress

The Congress on Monday has reacted sharply to former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's allegation against Rahul Gandhi.

Azad, in an interview has alleged that Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and meets 'undesirable businessmen'.

Calling Azad's allegation 'pathetic' Congress's General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh has tweeted, "With every passing day, Ghulam Nabi Azad falls to new depths to demonstrate his true character and his loyalty to Modi. His contemptible statements on the Congress leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant. I can only say that he is PATHETIC."

After Azad and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia criticised the Congress last week, the Congress had hit back saying they have been huge beneficiaries of the party's system but with every passing day they give powerful evidence that this generosity to them was "undeserved" as they reveal their "true character".

Further, Congress stalwarts from Jammu and Kashmir such as Prof. Saifuddin Soz, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and Tariq Hameed Karra have issued a joint statement in which they have asserted that Ghulam Nabi Azad has proved himself to be extremely ungrateful to the Nehru Gandhi family.

They have alleged that Azad is defaming the Congress Party and is aiming to create confusion among the masses.

Asserting that Rahul Gandhi is playing a constructive role in national politics, the Congress leaders said,"We would like to refresh the memory of Mr. Azad about the sea of opportunities and favours the Nehru Gandhi family bestowed upon him during his long period in power," they said.

"Hailing from a remote area of Doda District, Azad was recommended by Late Mufti Mohd Sayeed to Madam Indira Gandhi, who made him a youth leader without any political background or fan following, post which he was rewarded with a party ticket to contest Lok Sabha elections from Maharashtra where Madam Gandhi herself campaigned and ensured his victory. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha many times and subsequently made Union Minister a number of times without facing elections, which he should also count while speaking about the Gandhi family," they stated.

They have also accused him of "fragmenting" the Muslim majority vote in favour of the BJP by floating the idea of regional party of his own, which they have termed as "dubiously designed".

"Why didn’t he accept the repeated offer by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Mr.Rahul Gandhi to head the Congress Party in J&K for the last five years?" the Congress leaders questioned.

Responding to Azad's claims of J&K being too small for him, they have said, "Though his politics finally boiled down from National level to UT level, it clearly indicates that other nefarious designs were already stitched for him for quite some time."