BJP's Javadekar hits out at Sonia Gandhi, says Congress 'most communal' party

Bengaluru: Launching a scathing attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi for accusing the Modi government of trying to impose its ideology on people, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said Congress was the “most communal” party in the county. “Congress president Sonia Gandhi and that party does not have any right to accuse Modi’s government of trying to impose its ideology on people. If any party in the country is the most communal, it is the Congress,” he told PTI over phone from Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Addressing an election rally at Buxar in Bihar yesterday, Sonia had flayed the Modi government for allegedly moving away from democratic ideals and creating a serious threat for India’s democracy by ‘imposing’ its ideology on people. [caption id=“attachment_2473332” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo. Image courtesy: PTI[/caption] She also had said innocents were being killed on the basis of rumours and intellectuals were being attacked and denied freedom to express their views. “It is trying to weaken the foundation of social harmony. It is not just sad but also shameful,” she had said in a reference to the Dadri lynching incident and targeting of intellectuals. Javadekar said Congress had “justified” the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, an apparent reference to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi saying that “When a giant tree falls, the earth below shakes”. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had been assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Javadekar said Congress has been attacking Modi for the last 14 years on “falsehoods”. “Congress has been attacking Modi for the last 14 years on falsehoods. The apex court verdict, dismissing charges of Sanjiv Bhatt, clearly shows how Congress used him for 14 years in a conspiracy to defame Modi on the basis of falsehood,” he said. Bhatt, in an affidavit in Supreme Court, had claimed to have attended a meeting during which Modi allegedly asked top police officials to let Hindus vent their anger against Muslims following the Godhra train carnage in 2002. The BJP leader recalled that the SC appointed Special Investigation Team had concluded that Bhatt did not attend this meeting and dismissed his charges. In 2015, Bhatt was removed from police service, on the ground of “unauthorised absence”. He refused to comment on Sonia Gandhi’s remark that the GST Bill would increase price rise and put more burden on the common man. He also declined to comment when asked about BJP President Amit Shah “reprimanding” many top party leaders who had made controversial comments on the Dadri lynching and beef row after Modi voiced “extreme displeasure” over their actions. PTI