Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday. He accused them of deliberately delaying helicopter departures for him and Rahul Gandhi in Jharkhand and claimed that opposition leaders were denied access to the reserved airport lounge despite holding cabinet minister status.
Kharge alleged, “I and Rahul Gandhi hold cabinet minister status, yet we were not allowed to use the reserved lounge at the airport. We were told it is exclusively for the Prime Minister. Can even toilets be reserved for the Prime Minister?”
Helicopter Delays Spark Controversy
On Friday, Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter was reportedly delayed for about two hours. Congress claimed the delay was politically motivated. Rahul’s helicopter was scheduled to depart from Mahagama in Jharkhand’s Godda district after addressing an election rally.
Officials, however, stated that PM Modi was at Deoghar Airport for two hours, during which the airspace was declared a “no-fly zone.” Kharge further alleged that his own helicopter faced a 20-minute delay on Saturday due to Amit Shah’s landing. “Their route and mine were different, yet my flight was delayed,” he said.
“Can Toilets Be Reserved for the Prime Minister?”
Without naming the airport, Kharge criticized the denial of access to the reserved lounge, saying, “Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and holds cabinet minister status. I also hold the same status. Yet, we were told the reserved lounge is only for PM Modi. I ask, can even toilets be reserved for the Prime Minister?”
On Infiltration and BJP’s Policies
Kharge accused Modi and Shah of using fear tactics on the issue of infiltration. “If they can delay helicopters, why can’t they stop infiltrators?” he asked, adding, “They say ‘Batenge to Katenge.’ I say, ‘Darenge to Marenge.'”
Kharge also accused the BJP of using agencies like ED, CBI, and Income Tax against Congress and its allies, claiming the BJP aims to exploit Jharkhand’s natural resources by forming the government in the state.
BJP Responds
Responding to Kharge’s allegations, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia criticized Congress for making religion-based appeals, calling it corrupt behavior unacceptable in a democracy. He accused Congress and its allies of supporting infiltrators and illegal immigrants, disregarding their potential threat to national security.
“Leaders like Hemant Soren even call infiltrators their brothers and sisters,” Bhatia said, adding that such attitudes prioritize power over the welfare of the country’s citizens.
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