Advised Rahul not to limit mandir visits to election time, but he ignored: Shakeel Ahmad (IANS Exclusive)

Patna, Jan 27 (IANS) Former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad, in an exclusive interview with IANS on Tuesday, said he had once advised Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi to make regular temple visits and not restrict such outreach to election periods, but alleged that his suggestion was ignored.

Ahmad’s remarks come amid a political controversy triggered after he publicly described Rahul Gandhi as a “darpok (coward)” and an “insecure” politician, sparking strong reactions within the Congress ecosystem.

A three-time MLA and a two-term MP from Bihar, Ahmad had resigned from the Congress after the Bihar Assembly elections last year. He has since been openly critical of the party’s current leadership and functioning.

Earlier in the day, Ahmad alleged that he had been “secretly informed” by his former party colleagues that the Congress high command had allegedly issued directions to “carry out an attack” on his residences in Patna and Madhubani under the pretext of protests and effigy burning. Following the claim, security was tightened outside his residence in the Phulwari Sharif area of Patna.

“I had advised him not to stop going to temples. He used to go to temples when elections were near, and once the elections were over, the visits would stop. He was nowhere to be seen in Bihar after the elections,” Ahmad told IANS.

Escalating attack on Rahul Gandhi, Ahmad said, “Sitaram Kesari died 20 years ago, and Rahul paid homage on that occasion for the first time after two decades, just ahead of the Bihar elections. He used the AICC machinery to project himself as a ‘Janeu-dhaari Shiv Bhakt Brahman’, and after six months, he allied with Lalu ji and made statements that even our own Brahman leaders felt ashamed of.”

While asserting that uplifting backward sections of society is important, Ahmad added that such efforts should not come at the cost of others. “It is good to uplift backward sections, but it is not right to pull down those who are already ahead,” he said.

Ahmad further alleged that Rahul Gandhi is “allergic” to senior Congress leaders such as Shashi Tharoor and P. Chidambaram, claiming that the LoP prefers to keep the spotlight firmly on himself. “He wants to highlight only himself among all,” Ahmad said.

Drawing a comparison within the Gandhi family, Ahmad claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and mother Sonia Gandhi have made “significant contributions” to the party, unlike him. “Rahul Gandhi only wants those people around him who praise him,” he added.

He also alleged that senior leaders are being sidelined in favour of Youth Congress and NSUI members during meetings with Rahul Gandhi. “Now only leaders from Youth Congress and NSUI are preferred, instead of senior leaders like us,” he claimed.

“I have not made any serious allegations. I spoke as a well-wisher of the Congress. I have no desire to contest elections,” Ahmad said, adding that the Congress leadership mindset was to marginalise existing leaders.

“His thinking is that leaders are here because of a family’s legacy. Sideline them, and the leader will become the one selected by him. He keeps everyone’s age on record. He is removing people who have crossed 55, while he himself will turn 56 this June.”

He further alleged that the Youth Congress and NSUI have been weakened due to this approach.

“He calls leaders from there to discuss things because when he sits with us, he won’t get the boss-like feeling. Among us (senior leaders), it was not possible. I used to question him whenever I felt he was wrong,” Ahmad said.

Ahmad reiterated that his “friends” from the Youth Congress had informed him over phone calls about an alleged order from Delhi to target his houses.

“They said there would be an attack on my houses in Patna and Madhubani under the guise of burning my effigies. I informed the administration,” he said.

He added that shortly thereafter, the Youth Congress officially announced a protest.

“They said on the instructions of the top leadership, they will burn my effigy. Burn it if you want. But I object to burning an effigy -- I am a Muslim. If you want to finish me, you will have to bury me. By burning an effigy, they are corrupting my religion. Who is the high command? It is Rahul Gandhi,” Ahmad alleged.

Questioning Rahul Gandhi’s political standing, Ahmad said that his career “depends entirely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.

“Everyone knows Congress is the second option and the only option, but the party’s condition is still poor. It is like only two children ran a race, and one is boasting about coming second. If Modi ji becomes unpopular, Rahul Gandhi becomes popular. If Modi ji does not become unpopular, I don’t see a bright future for Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

Recalling his first interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ahmad praised the Prime Minister’s attentiveness.

“When I first met Modi ji, I thought he wouldn’t recognise me. While shaking hands, I said, ‘I am Shakeel Ahmad.’ Modi ji replied, ‘You say very bad things about me.’ I said, ‘It is my job to say bad things about you.’ I was a minister and a spokesperson. But the fact that PM Modi recognises a small leader like me shows his alertness,” Ahmad added.

--IANS