Bogota [Colombia], October 3 (HBTV): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is currently on a visit to Colombia, praised the performance of Indian automobile brands Bajaj, Hero and TVS, saying that their success reflects the strength of innovation rather than cronyism.
In a post on X, Gandhi wrote, ‘Proud to see Bajaj, Hero & TVS do so well in Colombia. Shows Indian companies can win with innovation, not cronyism. Great job.’
His remarks, however, drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Earlier, addressing students at EIA University in Colombia, Gandhi spoke about what he described as ‘structural flaws’ in India’s governance and argued that the country’s democratic traditions must be protected.
‘India has strong capabilities in areas like engineering and healthcare, so I am very optimistic about the country. But at the same time, there are also flaws in the structure that India has to correct. The biggest challenge is the attack on democracy taking place in India,’ Gandhi said.
Reacting to his comments, BJP leaders accused Gandhi of maligning India’s image abroad. Rajasthan Minister of State Jawahar Singh Bedham said it was the Congress leader’s nature to criticise India on foreign soil.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also condemned Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of insulting India while abroad. ‘Rahul Gandhi is abroad. It would have been nice if he had wished well, but he is attacking India. He says everything is baseless. He says there is no democracy in India. There is complete democracy, but the problem with Rahul Gandhi is that he wants power,’ Prasad said at a press conference.
He added, ‘In Bogota, Colombia, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi stated that there is no democracy in India and people don’t have the freedom to speak. Rahul Gandhi abuses PM Modi and the development of the nation the most.’
Prasad further said that the public would not support Gandhi if he continued to insult India during foreign trips, adding that his admiration for China was evident in his earlier remarks questioning India’s potential to become a global power.
(ANI)