‘Not without Parivar Bhakti’: Poster war between Congress, BJP over use of Gen Rawat's cutout in Rahul Gandhi's rally
BJP has pointed out that Rahul Gandhi's smiling photo has been put on the ‘shadhhanjali wall’ where photos of Army martyrs were only placed.
A poster war broke out between the Congress and the BJP after a cutout of General Bipin Rawat, the country's first Chief of Defence Staff who has recently lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, was put up by the Congress for Rahul Gandhi's Vijay Samman Rally. Besides Bipin Rawat's cut-out, there is one of Indira Gandhi and one of Rahul Gandhi. While the BJP alleged that the Congress is using Bipin Rawat as a "political tool" ahead of the election in the state, the Congress said that Rahul Gandhi's rally on Thursday was not a political one. It was to celebrate the 50th Vijay Diwas that commemorates India's victory in the 1971 war.
'Dancing in Goa': Over Gen Rawat's chopper crash, BJP targets Congress
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla pointed out on Twitter that not only Gen Rawat's cutout has been used at the venue, but Rahul Gandhi's smiling photo has also been placed alongside the photos of martyred soldiers on a wall made at the venue to pay tributes to deceased army personnel. "Shameless Congress party puts pics of Rahul Gandhi along with martyrs on Shradhanjali wall! Even here they can't honour soldiers without parivar bhakti? Disrespecting martyrs. Congress has DNA of disrespecting armed forces. They had called Bipin Rawatji 'Sadak ka Gunda'.
BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya posted photos of another poster that questioned Congress its stance on India's security forces. "Uttarakhand calls out Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s hypocrisy, welcomes him with these posters enroute to the rally venue…Congress must realise that it can’t malign our men in uniform and then gain political mileage in their name. Shame on such despicable politics," Malviya tweeted.
On December 8, General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 defence personnel died after the Indian Air Force chopper they were travelling from Sulur airbase to Wellington crashed. Group Captain Varun Singh was the only person on board who survived the crash but after fighting a week, he passed away on Wednesday.
Gen Rawat has already become a flashpoint between the BJP and the Congress after Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami accused the Congress of "celebrating" after the death of the defence personnel. Dhami said when the nation was mourning, Priyanka Gandhi was in Goa for election campaigning, dancing with tribal women.
