New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) The Congress on Sunday strongly pushed back against former party leader Shakeel Ahmad over his controversial remarks describing Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi as a “darpok” (coward) and an “insecure leader”, accusing Ahmad of ingratitude and questioning his motives for attacking the leadership after leaving the organisation.

Hitting out at the former party leader, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, “Shakeel Ahmed, the Congress party gave you everything — made you a Communications Minister, you served as a Union Minister, handed over the state leadership to you, you were an important leader. The Congress party did everything it could; you couldn’t win elections. What dissatisfaction remained within you that you have drifted away from the party?”

He further urged Ahmad to show restraint, saying, “I would like to request you to thank the party for giving everything to you. The party that has given you everything — don’t speak against it, especially Rahul ji, who is a fearless warrior and is fighting against the BJP and the Modi government. It does not suit you. If you had to speak, you should have spoken on a party forum, not in front of the world. You left the party, and now you are speaking whatever you want to.”

The row erupted after Shakeel Ahmad publicly criticised Rahul Gandhi, calling him an “insecure, darpok leader who is dictatorial and does not listen to senior leaders.”

Ahmad also alleged that Gandhi promotes only those who praise him, claiming that this approach has widened internal fault lines within the Congress.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the episode exposed what he termed Rahul Gandhi’s “real image.”

“Rahul Gandhi has already been rejected by public opinion, but how Congress leaders and workers themselves do not accept him as a leader is evident. Shakeel Ahmad explained how Rahul Gandhi is timid, insecure, and immature. He wants a strong Congress, but not strong leaders within the party,” Poonawalla claimed, adding that many leaders left the Congress due to alleged insecurity at the top.

Reacting to Ahmad’s remark about LoP Rahul Gandhi, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said, “Shakeel Ahmed is absolutely right… He doesn’t even want to realise what his leaders are saying about his party, about his leadership. And what he said is the truth. He is not the first leader in the Congress Party who has said this. There are many who think the same way.”

–IANS

rs/sd/