Always disrespect Dalits: Sarang after Kharge's video outside nomination venue goes viral

Bhopal: As a video clip went viral on social media showing Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge waiting outside as General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi filed her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, BJP leader Vishwas Sarang on Thursday slammed the party and said they "always disrespect Dalits."

Talking to IANS, Vishwas Sarang professed, "What Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did to Kharge is a big insult to a Dalit leader. They indulge in drama and pretend that they respect Dalits, but the way Kharge was treated, it is clear that the Congress treats Dalits badly."

"Kharge is the National President and insulting him like this, as if he was unwanted. But, this is the history of Congress. They insulted Sitaram Kesri, PV Narasimha Rao. They have always done this," he added.

The BJP leader further claimed that former Congress President Sitaram Kesri was locked inside a bathroom for hours until Sonia Gandhi took over the party.

"Kesri was locked inside a bathroom and later they threw him on a footpath before hoisting Sonia Gandhi as the new party President in 1988. They also tried to insult him by tearing his clothes. This is the tradition of Congress," he alleged.

"Sonia Gandhi didn't allow the dead body of Narasimha Rao to be placed inside the AICC headquarters," he stated.

He claimed that whatever happened on Wednesday during the nomination filing was quite disrespectful and painful.

"It is not only his insult. They have insulted the whole Dalit community," he concluded.

On Wednesday, when Priyanka Gandhi filed her nomination for the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, she was accompanied by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, her husband Robert Vadra and other national and state leaders of the party.

Priyanka Gandhi would be contesting against the LDF's Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas.

The bye-election for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat became necessary after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who won the polls from there and the Raebareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh, decided to vacate the Wayanad seat.