'President Of A Party Of Dynasts': BJP On Kharge Skipping Independence Day Event At Red Fort

Earlier in the day, the Congress President had said that he couldn't attend the Independence Day program as he was suffering from some eye-related problems and also was pressed for time.

BJP leaders reacted to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge skipping the Centre's Independence Day event at Red Fort.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: BJP leaders on Tuesday reacted to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge skipping the Centre's Independence Day event at Red Fort, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation. 

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri lashed out at Kharge saying that he did not attend the Independence Day program at Red Fort because of his eye problem but attended the program held at the Congress headquarters where he even gave a speech.

Speaking to reporters, Puri said, "I think Mallikarjun Kharge had some problem in his eyes, he should get it checked. He did not attend the Independence Day program at Red Fort because of this eye problem but he attended the program controlled by their family...PM Modi will address the public from Red Fort itself but I don't know from where will Mallikarjun Kharge do it."

#WATCH | On Congress president-LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge not attending the #IndependenceDay event at Red Fort, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri says "I think Mallikarjun Kharge had some problem in his eyes, he should get it checked. He did not attend the Independence… pic.twitter.com/Yxfr7oV2mn

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2023

Earlier in the day, the Congress President had said that he couldn't attend the Independence Day program as he was suffering from some eye-related problems and also was pressed for time.

Union MoS Rajeev Chandrashekhar told ANI, "Mallikarjun Kharge is a president of a dynasty party where he has no option, but to follow what his family tells him to do. I don't believe that Mallikarjun Kharge will talk anything positive about India."

#WATCH | Union MoS Rajeev Chandrashekhar says, "What PM Modi said today was very inspiring. He talked about the progress made by India in the last nine years, startups and the future of India. He spoke about the last 5 years that how 13 crore Indians have been lifted out of… pic.twitter.com/zmf7PHtZQk

— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2023

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla took a dig at Kharge, saying that he 'recovered immediately' from the illness and even gave a speech at the AICC headquarters.

"Sources were saying Kharge ji was unwell hence couldn’t come for #IndependenceDay program but I’m glad he recovered immediately and started giving speech at AICC HQ where he was able to do flag hoisting," Poonawalla said.

Attacking the Congress party, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, "If the leader of the main Opposition party and LoP Rajya Sabha doesn’t come, you can imagine the Congress mindset…Today when they are sitting in the Opposition, they are yearning just like a fish without water.”

 

Speaking on his absence at the event, Mallikarjun Kharge had told ANI, "Firstly, I have some eye-related problems. Secondly, I had to hoist the tricolour at my residence at 9.20 am as per protocols. Then I had to come to the Congress office and hoist the tricolour here too. So, I could not have reached here. The security is so tight that they don't let anyone else leave before the PM leaves...I thought that I will not be able to reach here on time...I thought it better to not go there to security situation and lack of time."

Speaking at the Independence Day event held at the Congress headquarters, Kharge alleged that the government was trying to muzzle the voice of the opposition. "Opposition MPs in Parliament being suspended...sansad mein jab mein khud hi baat karne ke liye uthta hun toh mera mike bandh ho jata hai (my mic is being switched off whenever I stand up to speak in Parliament)," he said.