NEW DELHI: BJP Monday lashed out at former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for stating that Indira Gandhi would have banned the governing party for its religious politics, saying that his remarks are more a reflection on the authoritarian impulses of Congress than itself.“Had a leader like Indira Gandhi been in power today, she would have banned a party like BJP. You cannot run a political party on the basis of Hindutva and religion. The Constitution does not permit politics in the name of religion,” Gehlot had said at an event in Jaipur on Monday.That statement says more about the Congress mindset, BJP said. “If democracy is alive and thriving in India today, it is despite the Congress party’s recurring authoritarian impulses, not because of them,” its social media head Amit Malviya said. It is Congress’ instinct to silence political opponents, delegitimise views it disagrees with, and weaponise state power against rivals, he alleged.BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Gehlot’s remarks reflect “emergency and intolerant” mindset toward Hindutva and Hindus.
