Jodhpur, 20 September (H.S.): Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying that merely carrying a particular surname does not automatically bring with it the legacy, maturity or sense of responsibility associated with that family name.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Shekhawat said the manner in which Rahul Gandhi had behaved publicly while referring to the Prime Minister of his own country was inappropriate and condemnable.

He said Gandhi’s conduct was not surprising in view of what he described as his earlier behaviour. Shekhawat said, “You may take someone’s surname, but the legacy, maturity and responsible conduct associated with that surname cannot be acquired simply by carrying it.”

Asked about the Congress using hybrid technology to nominate Rajendra Solanki as its candidate in the municipal corporation election, Shekhawat said the process was within the framework of the applicable rules and regulations.

He suggested that the Congress may have amended the rules while it was in power for such a purpose. Shekhawat said voters in the city had already expressed their sentiments and that the elected members of the municipal corporation board had also made their position clear.

He added that the views of the public and elected representatives could not be ignored in the context of the election.

Shekhawat also targeted the Congress over what he described as recent attempts to spread misinformation and rumours. Referring to an incident two days earlier, he alleged that an effort had been made to create a high-voltage political drama by visiting the Ratanada police station at night.

However, he said the issue had lost momentum by the following morning. Shekhawat described the episode as an attempt to unnecessarily heat up the political atmosphere and create confusion through what he termed false information and rumours.

He said such attempts could not remain before the public for long and would eventually be exposed.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar