Sachin Pilot slams PM Modi for his comments on Congress treatment of him and his father

Sachin Pilot said his father was a dedicated Congressman throughout his life and the prime ministers statements were far from fact and aimed at diverting peoples attention.

Tonk/Jaipur, Nov 22: Rajasthan's former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for commenting on how the Congress treated him and his father, saying there was no need for anyone other than the party and the people to worry about him. In a public meeting in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, Prime Minister Modi claimed that Rajesh Pilot had once challenged the Congress family for the party's good, but the family punished both Rajesh and his son Sachin.

Sachin Pilot's Response

Responding to PM Modi's claim, Sachin Pilot told reporters, "My late father contested the election for Congress president's post along with Sharad Pawar against Sitaram Kesri in 1998. At that time, Sonia Gandhi was not in active politics. Kesri won that election and subsequently nominated both Pawar and my father to the working committee. That is the way a healthy democratic organization and political party should function."

Pilot, who is contesting the assembly election from Tonk, said, "As far as I am concerned, I was given an opportunity to become a member of Parliament at a very young age and I have held many responsibilities at the Central government and the state level for many years." He asserted that his father joined the Congress as he was inspired by Indira Gandhi and served the public for a long time, fighting communal forces throughout his life.

Sachin Pilot on His Relationship with the Gandhis

The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said, "As far as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi are concerned, we have had relations with this family for decades. This relation is of the heart, this relation is old, and I think no one should make statements on this. We are working to strengthen the party."

Sachin Pilot Accuses BJP of Diverting Attention

Pilot said, "I feel that the BJP's election campaign has not taken off. Because of the fact that their campaign is not getting traction among people and voters, they are now looking to divert attention with such factually wrong statements. It's a clear indication that the BJP is on the back foot."

Sachin Pilot Says Congress Will Form Government in Rajasthan

Pilot said the Congress formed governments in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka and is going to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, where voting has been completed. He added that the party will form the government in Rajasthan as well.

Congress Accuses PM Modi of Lying

The Congress accused Prime Minister Modi of unleashing another pack of lies after he alleged that it punished Rajesh Pilot and his son Sachin Pilot for speaking the truth. AICC spokesperson and chairman of the media department Pawan Khera said, "The prime minister's lies stand exposed today in Bhilwara. Today, Narendra Modi, while continuing the Pradhan Mantri Jhooth Bolo scheme in a fit of panic, unleashed another pack of lies."

Sachin Pilot's rebuttal of Prime Minister Modi's claims and his assertion of the strong relationship between his family and the Gandhis indicate that the Congress is keen to put the issue of its treatment of the Pilots behind it and focus on the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan.