Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam has revealed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s purported stance on the Ram Mandir dispute and the party’s internal dynamics. According to Krishnam, Rahul Gandhi allegedly articulated in a closed-door meeting with his confidants that if the Congress were to ascend to power, they would establish a commission to annul the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ram Mandir issue, drawing parallels to the controversial overturning of the Shah Bano case during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure.
While speaking to the media, Krishnam asserted, “I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress govt is formed, they will form a superpower commission and will overturn the Ram Mandir decision just like Rajiv Gandhi overturned the Shah Bano decision.”
Krishnam further divulged that this declaration transpired during a gathering attended by a counsel of the party based in the United States of America, lending credence to his claims.
The Shah Bano case, dating back to 1985, pertains to a Supreme Court ruling in favour of Shah Bano, a Muslim woman from Indore who sought maintenance from her husband post-divorce. However, the then-Congress government, helmed by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, nullified the judgment through an Act. Krishnam’s assertions regarding Rahul Gandhi’s stance on the Ram Mandir issue have ignited significant debate and scrutiny.
Additionally, Krishnam prognosticated a potential schism within the Congress party, envisaging factions led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. “The Congress will again be split into two factions, one of Rahul Gandhi and the other of Priyanka Gandhi…,” Krishnam asserted in an interview with media.
#WATCH | Sambal, Uttar Pradesh: Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam says, "I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress govt is formed, they will form… pic.twitter.com/Qpgs91XPZT
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024
Taking a veiled swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Krishnam suggested he vie for electoral representation from Rawalpindi instead of Raebareli, hinting at a burgeoning popularity for Gandhi in Pakistan. “I think Rahul Gandhi should contest from Rawalpindi instead of Raebareli, as his popularity and demand are increasing in Pakistan,” Krishnam remarked.
Krishnam’s remarks come amidst speculation surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Raebareli instead of Amethi, a move purportedly dampening morale among Congress party workers.
Highlighting the broader political landscape, Krishnam underscored Rahul Gandhi’s dual candidacy in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Wayanad, Kerala, alongside Raebareli. Both constituencies are considered bastions of the Congress party.
#WATCH | Sambal, Uttar Pradesh: Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam says, "Congress has many leaders who feel suffocated in the party, who are insulted every day. This task of insulting senior leaders is done by the servants of Rahul Gandhi. Congress is not run by… pic.twitter.com/e1as9rOpxF
— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2024
Krishnam’s prior contentions regarding Priyanka Gandhi as a “victim” of “conspiracy within the family and party” further contribute to the escalating tumult within the Congress ranks.
“I said this earlier that Rahul Gandhi will not contest Amethi. I said this, too, that Rahul Gandhi will not let Priyanka Gandhi Vadra fight these elections,” Krishnam remarked, implying strategic manoeuvring within the party leadership.
Earlier, Radhika Khera, a prominent Congress leader, resigned, citing the mistreatment and injustice from fellow party members. Khera alleged that she was subjected to opposition and hostility within the party after she visited the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a move that drew criticism from some quarters.
In her resignation letter addressed to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), Khera expressed her dismay at the lack of support and justice she received from the party leadership. Despite dedicating over 22 years of her life to the Congress party and working diligently from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) to the AICC’s media department, Khera felt deeply disappointed by the treatment she endured.
