BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra has triggered a new controversy by calling Congress MP Rahul Gandhi ‘Rahul Lahori’ after Shashi Tharoor spoke about India’s COVID-19 situation during a conversation with a Pakistani national.
Patra tweeted, “From today, Rahul Gandhi becomes Rahul Lahori.” The reference to Lahori was to Tharoor’s comments as part of the Lahore Lit Fest.
आज से राहुल गांधी #राहुल_लाहौरी हुए।#RahulLahori pic.twitter.com/0ExwcubaUl
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) October 18, 2020
Speaking about the worsening COVID-19 situation in India, Tharoor told his Pakistani interviewer, “Actually, it’s paradoxical that the government in India not doing well and people realise it’s not doing well in managing COVID. Polls suggest that it has not helped them political as it should.”
Tharoor said that his party and leader, Rahul Gandhi, had asked the government as early as February to take urgent steps to deal with the COVID situation.
Reacting to the development, Patra said, “Rahul Gandhi, tell us honestly. P Chidambaram is speaking for them (Pakistan), Shashi Tharoor is with them, Mani Shankar Aiyar is already with them, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is speaking for them, Salman Khurshid has been speaking already. Are you trying to contest elections from Pakistan?”
Patra said that he will address Rahul Gandhi as Rahul Lahori from now on.
However, Patra’s comments did not go down well with Twitterati who slammed him for invoking Pakistan ahead of Bihar polls.
आज से संबित पात्रा का नया नाम “गोबर पात्रा” है #GobarPatra https://t.co/j3aToQjAYP
— Dhruba Budhadeb Choudhury ?? (@dhrubachoudhur5) October 18, 2020
#संबित_पात्रा , a non-sense person who can bark for hours an hours without any topic and can bring you mentally down.
— दीक्षा_यादव#Gr@phics? (@km_Graphics1) October 18, 2020
BJP and there brainless spekeperson “संबित पात्रा” don’t ahve answer on GDP.
Don’t have answer on covid cases
Don’t have answer on farmersBjp topic Rahul Gandhi , Indira gandhi.
— Rahul upadhyay (@rahul1upadhyay) October 18, 2020
“संबित पात्रा” is once again in trend, Once I told he has ability to win Twitter Ratna Award beating other potential contestants like Swara Rahul etc?
— Paramendra Mohan (@paramendramohan) October 18, 2020
Bihar goes to polls in three stages starting from this month with the results scheduled to be announced on 10 November.
