Rahul Gandhi’s assertion that the BCCI is a branch of the BJP prompted a swift response from Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who countered Rahul Gandhi’s critique of Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah.
In response to Rahul Gandhi’s attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Mizoram, where Rahul cited examples like Jay Shah, Anurag Thakur, and Pankaj Singh (Rajnath Singh’s son) as instances of dynastic politics, Himanta Biswa Sarma questioned whether Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s son, who is merely an MLA in Uttar Pradesh, can be equated to Priyanka Gandhi in terms of dynastic politics. Sarma stated that Rahul Gandhi should first grasp the concept of dynastic politics and remarked, “He thought BCCI is a BJP wing. Poor, illiterate fellow…”
Sarma further explained, “First and foremost, when it comes to dynastic politics, he (Rahul Gandhi) should understand its meaning. Amit Shah’s son is not affiliated with the BJP, whereas Rahul Gandhi’s entire family is deeply involved in the Congress. Thus, today he criticizes everything, yet fails to recognize that he is at the core of it all. If an entire family, including the mother, father, grandfather, and sister, is actively engaged in politics and controls the party, where can you find a parallel to that?” Sarma emphasized that Rajnath Singh’s son does not hold sway over the BJP as Priyanka Gandhi does in the Congress.
Sarma questioned the relevance of Amit Shah’s son in this discussion, stating, “How does Amit Shah’s son factor into this debate?”
Rahul Gandhi’s earlier statement regarding Jay Shah was, “What is Amit Shah’s son doing? What is his role exactly? What about Rajnath Singh’s son? As far as I know, Amit Shah’s son is overseeing Indian cricket. Thus, I urge you to be impartial. Examine the leaders of the BJP and contemplate what their children are engaged in. You will discover that many of their offspring, such as Anurag Thakur, are part of dynastic legacies.”
The controversy escalated as BJP leaders seized upon Shashi Tharoor’s statement about the Congress being a family-driven party. Tharoor later clarified his statement, asserting that it had been misinterpreted. He explained that during an event in Thiruvananthapuram, he had responded to a question about his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister within the party. Tharoor had stated that Rahul Gandhi could become Prime Minister, as the Congress party, in many respects, operates as a ‘family-run’ organization.
In his clarification, Tharoor said, “I observe that a remark I made at a private event, which was not a formal statement intended for public consumption, is being misconstrued by the usual individuals. Yes, I have consistently stated that the Nehru/Gandhi family’s heritage is deeply intertwined with that of the Congress Party. The family is the bedrock of the party’s strength.”
