New Delhi, August 2 (H.S.): Rahul Gandhi accused former Union Minister Arun Jaitley of threatening him during protests against Farm laws, claiming Jaitley warned him of consequences if he persisted with his opposition. Speaking at the Congress National Legal Conference, Gandhi asserted that the Congress party would not succumb to intimidation and underscored the Constitution’s significance as a representation of India's cultural and spiritual heritage. He denounced any attacks on the Constitution, stating it is integral to India's identity. Rahul also spoke of his sister Priyanka Gandhi’s warnings about his activism, to which he replied that fearing consequences from cowards amounts to cowardice itself.

In response, Rohan Jaitley, son of Arun Jaitley, refuted Rahul's assertions, clarifying that the agricultural laws were enacted in 2020, after his father's death in 2019, contending that his father would never threaten anyone for their political views. Rohan reiterated that Arun Jaitley was dedicated to democracy and consensus-building, advocating for open discussions within political spheres. He admonished Rahul to be careful when speaking about deceased individuals, implying that Rahul's remarks risked politicizing their legacies, referencing past comments made by Rahul regarding Manohar Parrikar, which he considered inappropriate.

He attempted something similar with Manohar Parrikar ji, politicising his final days which was in equally poor taste. Let the departed Rest in Peace, he added.

The farm laws, which aimed to deregulate government-run wholesale markets, were introduced in 2020 but withdrew after significant farmer protests. Rohan Jaitley emphasized the timeline of events, asserting it was implausible for his father to threaten anyone concerning the introduced laws as he had passed away prior to their institution. Both Rohan and the BJP dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s claims as falsehoods, labelling it as fake news.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar