Hijab Row: Sambit Patra accuses Rahul Gandhi of appeasement; Cong hits back

Team Udayavani, Sep 21, 2022, 8:23 AM IST

Sambit Patra (Credit: PTI / File)

New Delhi: BJP leader Sambit Patra on Tuesday posted a picture of Rahul Gandhi walking with a hijab-clad girl during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused him of indulging in appeasement politics, triggering a backlash from Congress leaders who slammed Patra for his remarks.

Posting a picture of Gandhi walking with the girl wearing a hijab, Patra tweeted in Hindi, “When votes are accounted for on the basis of religion… then it is called appeasement.”

जब धार्मिक आधार पर वोट का “हिसाब” किया जाता है …तब वो तुष्टिकरण कहलाता है … pic.twitter.com/a5z2MD5RP3

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) September 20, 2022

Tagging Patra’s tweet, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate slammed the BJP leader and said he did not even spare a young girl.

“It’s one thing to be rattled by the huge crowds in the (Bharat Jodo) Yatra – but to be blinded by hate like this. You are the pits!” she said.

संबित तुमसे ज़्यादा घटिया और गिरा हुआ व्यक्ति मैंने अपने जीवन में नहीं देखा

एक छोटी सी बच्ची को भी नहीं बख्शा

यात्रा में अपार जनसमूह देख कर बौखलाना एक बात है – पर नफ़रत में इस तरह अंधा होना

You are the pits!@sambitswaraj https://t.co/NautV1xLAp

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) September 20, 2022

Responding to Shrinate’s tweet, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, “Worse than the pits.”

The Congress has accused the BJP of resorting to disinformation and falsehood on the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, and said it shows the “fear” and “frustration” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party’s leadership at the success of the yatra.