New Delhi, May 12: Congress today criticised BJP’s attack on Rahul Gandhi after he joined the farmers’ agitation in Greater Noida, saying it was “irresponsible” on part of the Opposition “to question his motives”.
Union Minister Salman Khurshid said it was “not fair” to question Gandhi’s right to go and enquire about what was happening in the state from where he is an MP.
“When something of this nature happens, for him (Gandhi) to go and find out for himself what exactly the controversy is, I think it is not fair to question his right to do that. He is going there as an MP of the state and as the leader of the ruling party,” Khurshid told reporters here.
Gandhi joined the farmers’ agitation after he entered a village in Noida riding pillion on a motorcyle, giving the local police a slip before dawn today.
“Gandhi has demonstrated through out his career in politics his special concern for farmers and the downtrodden and conflicts that lead to a lot of distress in the matter of insensitive development projects,” he said.
Dismissing BJP’s criticism as “irresponsible,” he said that the Opposition should not question the Congress general secretary’s “motives” as an MP.
On the ongoing agitation, the minister said that “expectations were high” and fundamental amendments would be made in the Land Acquisition Act in the coming session of Parliament.
“But above all, there is a serious need to initiate dialogue between public and private players,” he said, adding that both parties had to be teated with “equal dignity.”
He also said that there was a limit to which the Centre could “interfere with state affairs.”
–Agencies–