BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi For No-Show At Kerala Freedom Fighter Memorial Unveiling

Though Shashi Tharoor and KPCC President K Sudhakaran were present there, Gandhi continued with the Congress' yatra.

The event was held at NIMS, Neyyattinkara, to unveil a memorial for two veteran freedom fighters of Kerala.

(Photo: Screenshot of the video)

As the Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its second day in Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi found himself enveloped in embarrassment, after he failed to show up at an event to unveil a memorial for two veteran freedom fighters from Kerala.

The event was held at Noorul Islam Institute of Medical Science (NIMS), Neyyattinkara. Though Shashi Tharoor and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran were present, Gandhi continued with Congress' yatra, despite receiving an invitation.

This comes after Gandhi’s meeting with a Christian priest which triggered a political firestorm from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the grand old party of spreading “Hindu hatred”.

The BJP, on Saturday, 10 September, had cited a video of a Christian priest's purported comments mentioning Hindu goddess Shakti during a conversation with Rahul Gandhi to allege that it shows the "anti-Hindu" face of the Opposition party. The video had drawn a sharp reaction.

However, the Congress had said that the BJP is used to repeatedly spreading mischief through its "hate factory" and alleged that the ruling party has turned more desperate ever since the successful launch of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra.'

Due to Gandhi’s no-show, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K Sudhakaran had to apologise to relatives of the freedom fighters, saying, “I am very sorry. That he did not come also shows my weakness.”

Meanwhile, the BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra used the no-show to take another dig at the Congress party and said in a tweet, “Now this is the real Rahul! ‘Present’ wherever there’s Anti-India rant but conveniently ‘Absent’ for the Freedom Fighter’s Memorial inauguration! Remember a Part-time Politician can never turn into a hard working full time Sewak!”