New Delhi: Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his rant against the youth of Varanasi, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chowdhury on Sunday said he hoped the former won't use similar words against the youth of Agra and Mathura when his Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra arrives in these two cities.
“My best wishes to his (Rahul Gandhi) Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Hopefully, he won't come to Agra and Mathura and say people here are also alcoholic,” Jayant Chaudhary said.
His taunt came close on the heels of Rahul taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, Varanasi, when he recounted an encounter he had during his visit to the place, and claimed to have seen individuals intoxicated and dancing on the streets.
"I recently visited Varanasi... Instead of witnessing progress, I was dismayed to see the sight of individuals, who represent the future of Uttar Pradesh, lying inebriated on the streets, swaying in the grip of alcohol," Rahul Gandhi said.
He further weighed in on the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, saying that the event was not attended by people from marginalised communities such as the backward classes, adivasis, or Dalits.
"On the other hand, Ram Mandir is being inaugurated in Ayodhya. You will find Narendra Modi, Adani, Ambani... You won't find people from the backward classes, adivasis, or Dalits...," he added.
PM Modi hit back, accusing these parties of inciting caste-based tensions and fostering division among the populace. He specifically addressed Gandhi's reference to "drunk men" on Varanasi's roads, implying that labelling young individuals as "addicts" was an unfair characterisation.
At a rally, PM Modi criticised without directly naming Gandhi, stating, "Members of the Congress's 'shahi parivar' are referring to the youth of Varanasi as 'nasheri'."