The BJP on Tuesday hit out at the Congress over an alleged “toolkit” of the opposition party, saying it wants to tarnish the image of the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling the new Covid-19 strain as “Indian strain” or “Modi strain”. The Congress, however, said the toolkit was fake, and that it had filed a police complaint over it, naming several BJP leaders.
In a tweet, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also said that Congress extending help to the needy is “more of a public relations exercise with the help of friendly journalists and influencers than a soulful endeavour”.
“Disgusting to say the least Rahul Gandhi wants to use this opportunity of pandemic to destroy the image of Prime Minister Modi. Congress workers instructed to call the mutant strain as Modi strain,” Patra wrote on Twitter.
Patra also alleged that no stone has been left unturned to tarnish India’s image with the help of foreign journalists. He further alleged that the “Congress toolkit” has also suggested calling the Kumbh Mela the “Super Spreader Kumbh”. Several other BJP leaders also trained guns at the Congress. BJP national president J.P. Nadda alleged that Congress is a master in “dividing society and spewing venom against each other.
“Dividing society and spewing venom against others… Congress is a master at this. India is seeing Congress’ antics, while the nation is fighting Covid-19. I would urge Congress to go beyond ’Toolkit Models’ and do something constructive,” Nadda tweeted. Union Minister Smriti Irani alleged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of having a “Shame Hindu, Blame Hindu” tactic.
However, Congress refuted the allegation saying that the BJP is propagating a “fake toolkit” and attributing it to AICC research department. “It is a shame that our government is more interested in maligning the opposition than protecting our people,” a tweet from the official handle of Congress said.
The Congress wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner seeking registration of FIR against Nadda, Irani, Sambit Patra, party leader B.L. Santhosh and others, alleging that they had shared “forged and fabricated documents with the intent to create communal disharmony and civil unrest” and to “divert attention from Modi government’s failure in providing necessary aid to people amidst the current pandemic”.
The Congress letter said that letterhead of AICC Research Department had been “forged” and “false and fabricated content” printed on it. “Through the present complaint, we seek to register an FIR against BJP president JP Nadda, national spokesperson Sambit Patra, Union Minister Smriti Irani and BJP general secretary BL Santosh and other such persons for forging the letterhead of AICC Research Department and thereafter printing false and fabricated content on the same, in order to share the forged/ BJP manufactured document from their verified Twitter handles and other social media platforms, with the intent to create communal disharmony and civil unrest in the country among individuals, escalating violence, fueling hate and spreading fake news,” the letter said.