New Delhi, Nov 19 (NationPress) In response to Congress's critique of Shashi Tharoor for commending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ramnath Goenka Lecture, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla countered, claiming that the Congress party has become intolerant of dissenting opinions that clash with its leadership.

He noted that the Indian National Congress no longer embodies the essence of its name but has instead morphed into what he referred to as the “Indira Nazi Congress.”

In a conversation with IANS, Poonawalla remarked, “The INC now signifies not Indian National Congress but ‘Indira Nazi Congress.’ They exhibit Nazi-like behavior. If Shashi Tharoor offers even a general commendation of PM Modi, they issue a ‘fatwa.’ Any expression of truth leads to the same reaction. When Tharoor acknowledges the Army, they respond similarly. This is a clear instance of intolerance. If they cannot foster democracy within their own ranks, how can they be expected to uphold it nationally?”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate dismissed PM Modi’s address, stating, “I found nothing in the speech worthy of praise.” This remark was made in response to Tharoor’s positive feedback on the Prime Minister’s speech, which Tharoor characterized as a mix of “economic outlook and a cultural call to action, urging the nation to remain restless for progress.”

On Tuesday, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lauded the Prime Minister after attending an event where Modi delivered a lecture. Tharoor noted that the PM addressed significant topics and inspired India “to be restless for progress,” comments that diverged from the party’s usual position.

Poonawalla also addressed the recent backlash against Rahul Gandhi from numerous judges, bureaucrats, and military veterans regarding his claims of “vote theft.”

“Rahul Gandhi — the new definition of LoP is Leader of the Propaganda. He undermines constitutional institutions. His repeated attacks on the ECI and other governmental entities illustrate his conditional commitment to Ambedkar’s Constitution. If they win elections, all is well. If not, they threaten institutions. This indicates a lack of respect for the Constitution. His grandmother, Indira Gandhi, enforced the Emergency. Rahul Gandhi perceives electoral loss as a threat to his family and, thus, to democracy,” he told IANS.

“Rahul Gandhi ought to cease his assaults on the Constitution. He is evolving into a predator rather than a protector,” Poonawalla added.

A collective of 272 distinguished citizens, including former judges, ambassadors, retired bureaucrats, and military veterans, released an open letter condemning the Congress and Rahul Gandhi for persistently targeting constitutional institutions, particularly the Election Commission of India (ECI).

In their letter, they conveyed “grave concern” regarding multiple instances of Congress leaders “belittling and undermining” democratic institutions such as the Armed Forces, Judiciary, Parliament, and now the ECI. They stated that the Leader of the Opposition and his Left allies resorted to rhetoric to disparage the ECI instead of filing formal complaints if they suspected misconduct.

“The LoP has consistently criticized the Election Commission, asserting to possess undeniable evidence of its involvement in vote theft and claiming 100 percent proof of wrongdoing,” the letter asserted.

“Utilizing shockingly crude rhetoric, he has claimed to possess an ‘atom bomb’ of evidence, and when it detonates, the EC will have nowhere to flee. He has threatened that he will not spare anyone in the Commission, from top to bottom. In his view, the ECI is engaging in treason.”