In a sharp political exchange rocking Uttar Pradesh, Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of consistently tarnishing India’s image on international platforms. Speaking exclusively to reporters in Azamgarh on Wednesday, Rajbhar echoed sentiments expressed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, who labeled Gandhi a ‘traitor’ in Parliament over the Youth Congress’ controversial shirtless protest at Delhi’s AI Summit.
Rajbhar minced no words, stating, ‘Whenever Rahul Gandhi speaks or travels abroad, he puts India in the dock. He disgraces the nation before the world.’ The minister’s remarks come amid ongoing uproar following the Youth Congress activists’ disruptive demonstration at the high-profile event attended by global delegates.
Highlighting perceived hypocrisy, Rajbhar questioned Gandhi’s criticism of the Election Commission, the very body that enabled his parliamentary seat. ‘If he truly believes the EC is flawed, he should resign first and then contest again. You can’t enjoy its benefits while accusing it of wrongdoing,’ he asserted. Rajbhar further praised Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad for condemning the Youth Congress antics, calling the topless rampage and vandalism at an international forum ‘reprehensible.’
The controversy extends to Congress MP Imran Masood’s defense of suspects in the Lashkar-e-Taiba Bangladesh module case, where they were remanded to seven days’ police custody. Rajbhar condemned Masood’s claim of innocents being framed on terror charges, retorting, ‘If that’s true, why isn’t Masood himself in jail?’ He accused Congress leaders of indulging in vote-bank politics, ignoring evidence from raids in Prayagraj and Kushinagar where fake currency operations were busted inside madrasas.
Rajbhar urged political opponents to accept facts rather than peddle falsehoods for electoral gains. As tensions simmer in UP’s charged political atmosphere, Rajbhar’s broadside underscores deepening rifts between the ruling BJP alliance and opposition parties ahead of key electoral battles.