BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi for Comments on India's Education and Caste System Made Abroad

New Delhi:

A remark made by Congress's Rahul Gandhi while abroad has once again provoked strong reactions from the BJP. The party has criticized him for allegedly tarnishing India's image on foreign soil. This time, Mr. Gandhi commented on India's caste and education systems, but what particularly angered the BJP were his claims that independent thinking in the country is under attack.

During an interaction with students at the University of Chile, when asked about his vision for the Indian education system, Rahul Gandhi said, referring to a student, "The curiosity that Amrita has, I would like to protect it in the Indian education system. And make sure that she can ask questions, she can raise issues, she can think openly without being constrained in any way. So that would be the central idea... And this is, by the way, in India this is under attack. The idea of free thinking, the idea of being open, the idea of being scientific, of being logical, this is under tremendous attack in India currently".

Regarding India's social structure, he stated that it is dominated by upper castes, while approximately 90 percent of the population belongs to middle and lower castes. "Their history, traditions, and thinking have not been given a place in education. Our education system is for the upper castes. Therefore, I would like to include the history and traditions of tribal, middle, and lower castes in the education system," he explained.

He further added: "India's education system has suffered greatly in the last ten years. Scientific consciousness has been destroyed because the current government does not believe in a scientific approach. This needs to be corrected. I would like to do this".

"Rahul Gandhi is not leader of the opposition. He is the leader of propaganda, of hypocrisy. He goes abroad and talks against India's constitutional bodies, India's democratic system, India's judiciary, and India's sovereignty -- this has become his habit," responded Shehzad Poonawalla, a former Congress leader who now serves as the BJP's spokesperson.

"Rahul Gandhi says he is fighting against the Indian state. From opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he is now into spreading lies against India. He says there is no space for free thinking. That happens in your party. If someone speaks against Rahul Gandhi, what happens? Look At Shashi Tharoor. He was made an example of because he championed the cause of the country and its armed forces," he added.

Gandhi recently returned from visiting several South American countries. A video of his interaction at the university was shared on his social media account.

The BJP's criticism of Mr. Gandhi has intensified since he assumed the position of Leader of the Opposition. The BJP has repeatedly condemned the Congress leader following his foreign visits, accusing him of disparaging India abroad.

The Congress has responded by stating that their criticism is directed specifically at the Narendra Modi government, not at India as a nation.