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The Congress on Wednesday hit back at Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for his scathing criticism of Rahul Gandhi, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should "beware" of a man who did not stay loyal to his former party and will also "not be loyal" to him.
Scindia launched a sharp attack on Gandhi and the Congress, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant.
Slamming Scindia for his remarks, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "When Mr Scindia talks about doing things to stay politically relevant, I can think of his own example. To stay politically relevant he changed his party, he changed his friends, he changed his loyalties and he is giving us a lecture on how to stay politically relevant."
"As far as pressuring the judiciary is concerned, it is Mr Kiren Rijiju who keeps issuing threats to the judiciary, the RSS' Panchjanya writes an article on how Supreme Court is becoming a tool of anti-nationals who is trying to pressure the judiciary. Who is saying retired judges are anti-nationals, Mr Kiren Rijiju is saying that. So ask Mr Scindia to advise his colleague not to pressure and threaten the judiciary," Khera said in a video statement posted on his Twitter account.
Khera also hit out at Scindia for his dig at the Gandhis that some people are "first class citizens" for the Congress, saying a man who wants to be called a "Maharaj" in free independent India is talking about this.
"He (Scindia) wants to be called and treated like a first class citizen. Ask him to read the history of his own empire," Khera said.
"We would like advice the prime minister, please beware of the man who despite attaining political heights under the Congress party did not stay loyal to the Congress party, he will not be loyal to you," the Congress leader said.
Khera dismissed Scindia's allegations as "laughable", asserting that the Congress' fight is a fight to save democracy.
"He (Scindia) will not understand this as he has gone to the BJP of late," Khera said, attacking the BJP leader.
Scindia was in the Congress for a long time and was considered a close associate of Gandhi. He quit the party and joined the BJP in 2020 following differences with its leadership, especially in his home state Madhya Pradesh, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath-led government.