Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Sep: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today challenged the Congress leaders from Uttarakhand to state clearly whether they agree with Rahul Gandhi’s alleged derogatory comments against National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Party general secretary Deepti Rawat expressed surprise and shock that senior Congress leaders including Harish Rawat, Ganesh Godiyal, Pritam Singh and Yashpal have remained silent on the issue. She asked if their sense of Uttarakhand identity has disappeared. She asserted that the BJP would take this matter of Devbhoomi’s honour to the people and expose what she described as the true face of Congress leaders who repeatedly insult the state.
Speaking to the reporters at the party headquarters here today, Rawat said Doval, at 80 years of age, continues to dedicate himself to safeguarding the nation, having served as an IPS officer and having undertaken dangerous espionage missions with RAW and IB. She also recalled his crucial role during Operation Bluestar in liberating the Golden Temple from terrorist occupation, pointing out that Rahul Gandhi was not even born when Doval was risking his life for the country. She criticised Congress for targeting those who have enhanced the pride of Uttarakhand, citing earlier instances when Congress leaders had disparaged General Bipin Rawat, demanded proof of surgical strikes and mocked Operation Sindoor.
Rawat alleged that since 2014 Congress has been repeatedly rejected by the people of Uttarakhand, and out of frustration Rahul Gandhi was now insulting the state’s distinguished sons. She described the silence of state Congress leaders as cowardly, accusing them of bowing before their Delhi high command for political ambition. She challenged them to clarify whether they agreed with Rahul’s statement suggesting Doval was spying through mobile phones and whether they believed he should not gather vital intelligence for national security.
The BJP State General Secretary asserted that expecting Congress leaders to apologise or express shame over the insult to Devbhoomi’s pride is futile, but the BJP would ensure the issue reached the grassroots. Rawat emphasised that public anger was intense and that the party would make this insult to Devbhoomi and the armed forces a key electoral issue, exposing what she termed the anti‑state and anti‑nation face of Congress in the forthcoming elections.
