Congress leader and LoP (Leader of Opposition) Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 25) while speaking at a rally in Jammu goofed up and mixed up Kashmiri Pandits with Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) refugees during his speech. However, Rahul Gandhi corrected his mistake immediately and corrected his statement.
A clip shared by news channel Times Now on Wednesday (Wednesday) showed the Congress leader's faux-pas. "The refugees who have come from PoK, Manmohan Singh ji (former PM) had made promises to them. Those promises will be fulfilled," said Rahul Gandhi in his speech.
What Did Rahul Say?
However almost immediately, Rahul corrected himself and said, "Sorry, promises made to the Kashmiri Pandits will be fulfilled."
Though Rahul Gandhi was quick to correct his mistake, the incident gave his detractors a chance to hit out at the Congress MP.
In the past too, the BJP and critics of the Congress leader have highlighted videos of Rahul Gandhi where he apparently goofed up in his speeches, resulting in embarassment for himself and the party.
A Counter Opinion
However, supporters of the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi claim that the leader has come a long way when it comes to his political acumen and has learned the ropes of Indian politics in all these years. They also credit Rahul for Congress' improved performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Which Comment Of Manmohan Singh Was Rahul Gandhi Speaking About?
Rahul in his speech was referring to the 2007 comment made by then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh at an event in Jammu. Manmohan Singh had promised to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir after they were displaced due to militancy in the early 1990s. However, this still remains a distant dream even after Manmohan Singh's government from 2004-2014 and two terms of Narendra Modi government at Centre.
Elections In Jammu & Kashmir
The first Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in over 10 years are being held in three phases with the first phase completed on September 18 and the second phase on September 25. The third phase will take place on October 1. The Election Commission of India announced the poll dates on Friday (August 16, 2024). This is also the first assembly elections in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
