Don’t take the begging remark literally, says Congress

As Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi continues to be targeted for is “begging” remark, the party has found fault with those who are taking his words literally.

“In politics, one must distinguish between a literal expression and a metaphorical flourish. He never intended to hurt the people of UP. In fact, he was appreciative of their talent, industry and capacity to work hard, and lamented the fact that in spite of these qualities they were forced to migrate in search of work,” said party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Gandhi, at his meeting in Phulpur a few days, had said, “Till when will you keep working as labourers in Punjab, and till when will you beg for work in Delhi and Maharashtra?”

Angered by this “derogatory” statement, the Mumbai unit of the Samajwadi Party has filed a defamation case against him.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray too has hit out at Gandhi, and observed that all these years they have been opposing migrants from Bihar and UP but have never called them beggars. He added that hunger has no caste or region.

Congress, however, distanced itself from the ‘kicking incident’ involving central ministers that took place at the meeting. “Now that a legal process is on, we would not like to comment,” said Singhvi commenting on the FIR filed against Union ministers Jitin Prasada and RPN Singh who were seen on TV channels kicking an SP worker after he broke the security cordon.