Leaders jailed by Indira Gandhi welcoming Rahul: JP Nadda on Oppn meet

BJP president J P Nadda on Friday said that leaders who were jailed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi during Emergency were now welcoming her grandson Rahul Gandhi.

The BJP leader was referring to the opposition meeting in Patna which was organised by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and attended by his ally RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. Both were arrested during the Emergency when they were student leaders participating in the movement of Jay Prakash Narayan.

Addressing a public meeting in Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district, Nadda said, "Strange things are happening in politics today. Leaders jailed by former PM Indira Gandhi have now joined hands with her grandson Rahul Gandhi."

He said Prasad was jailed for 22 months, while Kumar was behind the bars for 20 months during the period.

"I saw Uddhav Thackeray reaching Patna to attend the opposition meeting. His father, 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' Balasaheb Thackeray was opposed to the Congress all along. Balasaheb had once said he will shut the 'dukaan' (referring to his political party Shiv Sena) rather than joining the Congress. Now, his son is closing the 'dukaan'," Nadda said.

He claimed Congress was unable to digest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's praise by world leaders.

Nadda said Modi is strongly opposed to dynasty politics and introduced politics of development in the country.