Gogoi slams Modi for neglecting BJP veterans

PTI, Mar 25, 2019, 4:46 PM IST

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Guwahati: A day after BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Monday said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who “ate biryani” there and sent a “love letter” to his counterpart in the neighbouring country.

The senior Congress leader also slammed Modi for the “neglect” shown to the veterans in the BJP.

“It was Modi who wrote a love letter to Pakistan Prime Minister. He went to eat biryani and enjoyed birthday there, but accusing us,” Gogoi said at a press conference here.

The three-time chief minister was referring to a query on BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav’s comment on Sunday that the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if they contest from there as the opposition party is “banking only on the neighbouring country and lies.”

“It was Congress government which bifurcated Pakistan and created two nations. These comments by BJP are nothing but just an attempt to deviate public attention from the real issues – jobs crisis, farmers distress, corruption and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in our accounts,” Gogoi said.

He further denied any secret understanding between Congress and the perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF as alleged by Madhav.

The veteran Congress leader expressed sadness over denial of ticket to former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who has been replaced by BJP President Amit Shah in Gandhinagar seat.

“Advani had huge contribution in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government coming to power, but today he is neglected in his own party in a very pathetic way. Not only him, but the entire old-guard like Arun Shourie and others are neglected. They are intelligent people and Modi does not like intelligent people around him,” Gogoi said.

He alleged that the Modi government has “failed” on all fronts and has “not fulfilled” a single promise made to people in 2014.

“Our fight is not against the person Modi, but against his divisive, communal and economical policies. This election is a big challenge for democracy,” he added.

Talking about denial of Lok Sabha ticket to his former party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma at the last moment by BJP, Gogoi said: “It is an insult to him. First, the name was included and then deleted. Amit Shah must have given consent, but Modi objected to Himanta.”

The Congress leader alleged that a “cold war” is going on between Sarma and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also “failed” in delivering anything positive in the state.