Sitaram Yechury praises Rahul Gandhi speech that 'rattled' Modi

New Delhi: CPI(M) today lauded Rahul Gandhi for his speech that “rattled” Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the “battle of speeches” in Parliament last week and said the Congress leader’s remarks were the “best intervention” by him. Speaking on a wide range of issues to Karan Thapar on India Today TV’s ‘To The Point’ programme, Yechury wondered if shouting “Pakistan zindabad” slogan is “anti-national” in India which wants good relationship with Pakistan. [caption id=“attachment_2590276” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sitaram Yechury. File photo. AFP[/caption] “For the Prime Minister to be pre-occupied in answering a speech, just one speech in entire debate (in Parliament), that itself is an admission that he is rattled. ”The Prime Minister’s entire speech was more of a response to that (Rahul’s) speech and not on the basis of a huge number of MPs who had spoken,” he said. Yechury said Rahul’s “speech this time in Parliament has been the best parliamentary intervention by him. It has rattled the Prime Minister and it is clear in his response.” Asked if the speech suggested Rahul has come of an age as an opposition leader, Yechury said “one never comes of an age in Indian Parliament and he/she has to keep on coming of age”. “I think (he) can take lessons from his great grandfather,” Yechury added. Asked about Pakistan zindabad slogan allegedly raised during a controversial event at JNU on February 9, Yehcury said “if we want good neighbourly relationship with Pakistan, shouting Zindabad is it anti-national? You shout zindabad whenever there is anything to do with any country with whom you have friendly relations with or break diplomatic relation.” “Or declare Pakistan is an enemy, (there will be) no diplomatic relations, we will treat as an enemy. But the first point is to prove the veracity if at all such slogan was raised. If you say India Murdabad is anti-national,” he said. He, however, said slogans such as ‘Kashmir ki azadi tak, Bharat ki barbadi tak, jung ladhenge, jung ladhenge’, which were allegedly raised during the JNU event, were “anti-national as that is against our country’s interest.” PTI