Businessman and Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra on Friday claimed that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had forgotten its veteran leader LK Advani.
Vadra’s statement comes at a time when the BJP replaced Advani from its list of candidates with its national president Amit Shah for the Lok Sabha polls. In a blog post on Thursday, Advani had said that he is grateful to the people of Gandhinagar for electing him to the Lok Sabha six consecutive times since 1991.
Vadra, who is married to Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, described Advani as an important pillar of the party. “The most important pillar of the party– long lost and forgotten,” Vadra said in a Facebook post. “The true leaders with ethics and statesmanship should be rewarded and not ignored. We should not let them wither away. It is disgraceful, if we cannot value their seniority and advice. I have always respected Advani ji as a good opposition leader. Sad to see that his own party has forgotten him.”
The BJP leader, in his blog post, had claimed that his party has never regarded those who disagree with it politically as “anti-national”.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal, however, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration had a different stance on the matter. “Under Modi ji BJP’s thought processes have been both: Changed and maimed,” Sibal tweeted. “Listen Modi ji to one who helped you in your journey to Delhi!”
Vadra is currently being investigated in two money laundering case. In February, Vadra expressed interest in “a larger role in serving the people” once he sees through the various investigations he is undergoing.
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