Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (30) faced criticism from the likes of Indian filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and Amit Malviya, a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after he smiled in response to people who interrupted his speech with pro-Khalistan slogans in California, US.
The incident happened when Gandhi was interacting with non-resident Indians in San Francisco and questioning his smile when pro-Khalistan slogans were raised, Agnihotri said in a tweet in which he also shared a clip, "Mr Rahul Gandhi is now perceived as a leader of all separatist and urban Naxal groups. In this video of his US tour, people raise Khalistan slogans and he smiles. Can you guess what does this mean? Dangerous times ahead."
Malviya, who is in-charge of the BJP's national information and technology department, also shared the same clip and said on Twitter, "Rahul Gandhi heckled for the 1984 Sikh genocide (unleashed by the Congress), in America...aisi nafrat ki aag lagayi thi, jo ab tak nahi bujhi (the fire of hatred triggered by you was so huge that it is still burning)".
Congress leader and former journalist Supriya Shrinate countered Malviya and asked why he was supporting the pro-Khalistan elements to oppose Rahul Gandhi and called him a traitor. "If you had listened further, you would have found out how the people raised Bharat Jodo slogan to give a reply to those Khalistani slogans. For once, you also take the Tiranga and say 'Bharat Jodo'. Believe me, a traitor like you will also feel good," Shrinate wrote.
As Gandhi was speaking about 'mobbat ke dukan (shops of love)' in 'nafrat ke bazaar (market of hatred)', something he said after the Congress defeated the BJP in the recently held state elections in Karnataka, some slogans were raised. "Welcom, welcome," Gandhi said, reiterating 'nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukan'.
People in the audience stood up with cameras in their hands to record what was happening. Then, 'Bharat Jodo' slogans were raised from among the audience.
"See, the interesting thing about us, about the Congress party is that we have affection towards everybody. If someone wants to come and say something regardless of what they are saying, we are happy to listen to him. We are not going to get angry, we are not going to get aggressive. We will nicely listen to it. In fact, we will be affectionate to them, will be loving to them. Because that's our nature," Gandhi said.
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