BJP, Shiv Sena in politics of bullying: Rahul Gandhi

AMETHI: In his most vocal attack yet on the Bharatiya Janata Party and its leaders, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said the saffron party had a "dangerous ideology" and resorted to the "politics of bullying." Expressing his views on Shiv Sena MPs force-feeding a fasting Muslim employee of the Maharashtra Sadan, he said, "It is the ideology of BJP and the Shiv Sena. Politics of bullying people is what they do. This is extremely damaging to the country and this is what we in the Congress party fight against everyday." The Amethi MP, on a day-long visit to his parliamentary constituency, also said the incident at the New Maharashtra Sadan reflected the dangerous ideology of the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both are the two sides of the same coin. Last week, Shiv Sena MP Rajan Vichare was caught on video forcing a catering superviser fasting for Ramzan to eat a chapati. On Friday, Rahul also accused prime minister Narendra Modi of failing to take a tough stand on spiraling prices as well as rampant corruption. "The universal complaint is that vegetable prices are rising and the government is doing nothing," Rahul said, while adding that the biggest promise that the government in Delhi had made was to control price rise. "People are hiring because of rising prices. It is government's responsibility to control them," he said. On Friday, Rahul also made pit stops at several villages to thank the people for their support during the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul also held "chaupals" at two village and assured residents that his MP local area funds would be used to supply clean drinking water facilities through solar powered pumps in Amethi's villages. "You people supported us very well. We are grateful for that. Our government is not in power both in UP and at the Centre. Still I promise to fight for your problems. I am with you. I am here. Just reach me anytime you need anything," he said to villagers of Babupur Sarraiyya and Puredhirdhari Dubey in Jamo. Friday was Rahul's second visit to the constituency since winning Amethi by a margin of 1.07lakh votes over rival Smriti Irani. Apart from visiting villages and meeting with party workers, Rahul also participated in a Roza Iftaar in Salon on Friday evening. He also paid a condolence visit to the house of former MLA Jung Bahadur Singh, whose son was shot dead in an accident last month. He was scheduled to leave for Delhi on Saturday morning after stayin the night at Munshiganj guest house in Amethi.   TOI