“Neither PM Modi nor Smriti Irani should become ‘thekedar’ of OBC”: Adhir Ranjan

New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): Hitting back at Union Minister Smriti Irani and the BJP for demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi over the ‘Modi surname’ remark, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday said that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor the Amethi MP should “become ‘thekedar’ (contractor) of OBC”.

This comes after Smriti Irani slammed Rahul Gandhi for not issuing an apology to the OBC community over his remarks and said that the Congress leader insulted the OBC in an attempt to insult Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“In an attempt to insult PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi also insulted the entire OBC community. This is not the first time Gandhi family has tried to insult people from Dalit or backward communities. He is the man who apologised to the Supreme Court and pretends today not to be a coward,” Irani said.

Retorting to the Minister’s jibe, the Congress MP accused her of doing politics in the name of OBC.

“…This has nothing to do with OBCs. Neither Modi nor Smriti Irani should become ‘thekedar’ of OBC. They want to do politics and nothing else in the name of OBC…They want to provoke the OBC,” Chowdhury said while speaking to ANI.

In a swipe at Irani, he said that she has been “deployed” to attack Rahul Gandhi and failing to do so, she would “lose her job”.

“Running away from Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi has deployed Smriti Irani today. If she says ‘no’, she’ll lose her job…Come to us with real issues…If you (PM Modi) have courage, sit before media and tell them to ask you anything…When you speak on the stage, you say all the false things and try to provoke people. Why don’t you have the courage to sit in front of the mediapersons? You are scared,” Chowdhury alleged.

Irani, in her press conference earlier today, cited an interview of Rahul Gandhi and said that he had vowed to destroy PM Modi’s image, however, he did not succeed.

“Rahul Gandhi in a magazine interview said that Modi Ji’s strength is his image and he will destroy that image. He said that he will keep attacking PM Modi’s image until he destroys it. The Gandhi family tried to malign the image of PM Narendra Modi when they were in power but they failed miserably. Rahul Gandhi’s promise to a magazine editor to rip Modi’s image apart is a promise that shall remain unfulfilled because PM Modi’s greatest strength is the people of India,” she said.

The union minister also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi over the Opposition’s supporting Congress on his disqualification, and said, “Are you not able to recognise the capability of the man for whom the Congress party is ‘trying’ to garner support?”

Opposition parties, in a show of strength, had marched from the Parliament complex to Vijay Chowk on Monday against the Centre over the Adani issue and Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification.