In greed for power, BJP playing with women's respect, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. File Pic

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its "greed for power" is playing with "women's respect" as well as the self-respect of the country, reported news agency PTI.

In a Facebook post, Rahul Gandhi shared a video montage built with media reports about incidents of sexual assault to attack the central government.

The video referred to such incidents as the sexual assault on two women who were stripped and paraded by a mob in Manipur, alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers by outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleged killing of a woman in Uttarakhand in which the son of a BJP leader was accused, and the release of the convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case.

"A country which does not respect its women can never progress. In the greed for power, the BJP is playing with both the respect of women as well as the self-respect of the country," the former Congress president said in his post in Hindi.

Rahul Gandhi's remarks come amid the Opposition's continued attack on the government over its handling of the situation in violence-hit Manipur, where two women were stripped and paraded naked by a mob.

The video of the May 4 incident, which only surfaced earlier this month, sparked nationwide outrage and has since become a polarising political fault line between the ruling BJP and the Opposition alliance INDIA.

Earlier, hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on the opposition alliance, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said "call us what you want", but "we are INDIA" and "will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur".

PM Modi slammed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) as the most directionless the country has ever seen and cited reviled names, such as East India Company and Indian Mujahideen, to assert that people cannot be misled merely by the use of the country's name.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the prime minister told a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting that the conduct of the opposition has been such that as if it has decided to stay in the Opposition for long.

Hitting back at PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "Call us whatever you want, Mr Modi. We are INDIA. We will help heal Manipur and wipe the tears of every woman and child. We will bring back love and peace for all her people."

"We will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur," the former Congress chief said.

(With inputs from PTI)