Kathmandu— BJP Member of Parliament Sambit Patra criticized Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for using young protesters to spread a 'false narrative' about recent demonstrations. Patra, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, questioned Gandhi's selective approach towards student protests, particularly highlighting his silence over ongoing issues in Jharkhand.

BJP's Response to Rahul Gandhi

Patra emphasized that the BJP's response was directed at Gandhi and not the protesting students. He stated, 'Children are children; they represent the future of our country.' Patra rejected allegations that pellet guns were used during the July 20 protest in Delhi, reiterating the party’s stance that no shots were fired.

Political Criticism and Allegations

Patra accused Gandhi of politicizing issues by using innocent children for political purposes. He questioned Gandhi's criticism of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over parliamentary proceedings, stating, 'Rahul ji, are you even allowing the House to function?' Patra also addressed allegations of communal profiling raised by one of the protesters.

Jharkhand Protests and Dialogue

Patra pointed out that Gandhi had ignored ongoing protests in Jharkhand over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. He urged Gandhi to interact with protesting aspirants from Jharkhand, saying, 'The children of Jharkhand are children too.' Meanwhile, the state government initiated talks with protesters seeking dialogue on their demands.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.