Ghulam Nabi Azad’s latest attack: ‘Ailing Congress taking medicines from compounders, not doctors; party will fall any time’ | India News

NEW DELHI: Veteran J&K leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has launched a no-holds-barred attack on Congress leadership — particularly Rahul Gandhi — just days after snapping his five-decade-long association with the grand old party.
Mounting a brutal offensive against Rahul, whom he has accused of being “childish” and a “non-serious politician”, Azad on Monday said that the Gandhi scion has zero aptitude or interest in politics.
In interviews to various media channels, Azad asserted that Congress’s foundation has become “very weak” and the party can “fall any time”.

The Congress later hit back at Azad, claiming that he has been tasked to “slander” the party and is diminishing himself in the process.
Here’s a round-up of Azad’s remarks given to various media platforms …
‘Cong taking medicines from compounders’
Speaking to reporters at his residence, Azad described Congress as a party that is taking medicines from the compounder instead of doctor.
“I can only give my best wishes to the Congress, but it needs medicines more than my wishes. And, these medicines are being provided by compounders instead of doctors and there is a need for specialists,” Azad said.
Asserting that he belonged to the Congress ideology and never wanted to quit the organisation with which he grew from his student days, Azad claimed that he was “forced out” of the party.
“I have been forced to leave my home as we were not heard within,” he said.
‘Party can fall anytime’
Continuing his tirade against the leadership, Azad, who was a part of G23 group in the party, said the Congress higher-ups have no time for setting things right in the party.
“The Congress is providing such leaders in states and promoting those who are making people quit rather than uniting them with the party,” he alleged.
The party’s foundation has turned very weak and the organisation can fall anytime, Azad claimed while citing it as a reason why he and some leaders quit the Congress now.
Azad alleged the Congress is “sinking” further every day and people are quitting the organisation, as they are feeling so frustrated that they are looking for any small alternative.
‘Rahul has no aptitude for politics’
Stepping up his attack on Rahul Gandhi, Azad said, “It seems he does not have the aptitude for politics. We tried to make him a leader and made many efforts in this regard.”
The veteran leader also took a dig at Rahul for his “policy of attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Taking a jibe at Rahul’s hug to PM Modi in Parliament, he said, “It’s not me who is entangled with Modi, it’s him.”
‘Whoever becomes Cong chief will have to be Rahul’s slave’
In an interview to a TV channel, Azad took a swipe at the upcoming elections for the post of Congress president, saying that whoever ends up heading the party will be Rahul’s slave.
“Whoever becomes the party president will have to be his slave and carry his files. Ask them how much time they give to the party? They don’t have time for the party and question my timing? We used to give over 20 hours even when we were his age,” he said.
‘Rahul quizzed leaders over Chowkidar remark’
In another interview, Azad said that Rahul Gandhi once insulted senior party leaders at a party meeting.
Recounting the party’s “Chowkidar Chor Hai” campaign in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Azad said that at one of the meetings, Rahul asked for a show of hands for those who used his slogan while campaigning.
He said that senior leaders like former PM Manmohan Singh and ex-Union ministers P Chidambaram and AK Antony were present at the meeting.
Azad said Rahul made all those who used the slogan raise their hands. “I was sunk in my chair,” he said, describing how insulted he felt.

‘Cong had an issue with me since the G23 letter’
Opening up about the letter written by him and other Congress leaders, now dubbed “G23”, to Sonia, Azad said the grand old party never wanted anybody to question the leadership.
” … they have had an issue with me since the G23 letter was written. They never wanted anyone to write to them, question them … Several (Congress) meetings happened, but not even a single suggestion was taken,” he said.
Azad also said that he did not sleep for six days before and after writing the G-23 letter because “we gave blood for the party” but it is “saddening to see that people in the Congress are useless that they do not know about us”.
Azad was a CWC member and part of the group of 23 dissident leaders who had written to Sonia Gandhi in August 2020 seeking large-scale reforms and an organisational overhaul, including elections at all levels.
However, he said his respect for Sonia Gandhi is the same as it was 30 years ago and it is the same for Rahul Gandhi since he belongs to the family of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
Congress hits back at Azad
Responding strongly to Azad, the Congress accused him of indulging in “treachery” and said he was “diminishing himself” further.
“After such a long career, courtesy entirely the party, he’s been tasked to slander by giving interviews indiscriminately. Mr Azad diminishes himself further.
“What’s he afraid of that he’s justifying his treachery every minute? He can be easily exposed but why stoop to his level,” Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
(With inputs from agencies)