BJP flays PM for terming Rahul future of UP

Panaji, Apr 17 (UNI) The BJP has strongly criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for saying that Rahul Gandhi was the future of Uttar Pradesh and the nation, terming it blatant ''sycophancy''.

Reacting sharply to the Prime Minister's remarks, BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy said this would tantamount to sycophancy.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Rudy also flayed Rahul's remarks during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh that the Nehru-Gandhi family was responsible for the country's Independence as also for the division of Pakistan and for India's vision of the 21st century.

''It shows the ''fallow approach'' of the Congress since the truth is that millions of people sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle'', Mr Rudy said.

''Rahul Gandhi's remarks on the division of Pakistan makes a mockery of the Congress' diplomatic stand but the Ministry of External Afairs cannot refute Rahul's statements,'' he added.

Rahul's statement has put the ''Government and its security in peril,'' Mr Rudy said, adding the government had failed in reacting appropriately.

He also questioned why Mr Gandhi had failed to speak about Nehru-Gandhi family's role on Pak-Occupied Kashmir, selection of Sikh leader Bhindranwala, the Sikh community's massacre in 1984, and the clamping of Emergency in 1975.

UNI