Gandhi family above rules: Anurag Thakur slams Congress's Vande Mataram stand

Former Union minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday attacked the Congress over its decision to sing only the first two verses of Vande Mataram, alleging that the Gandhi family sees itself as being above the Constitution and the rules of the country.

Speaking in Indore, the BJP leader also criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's student outreach programme, 'Chhatron Ki Goonj,' scheduled to be held in the city on September 19.

Later in the day, he called on young people to help achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047 and praised the growth of the country's start-up ecosystem.

Thakur told reporters that the family, referring to Sonia Gandhi and her children, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, could not spare even three minutes and ten seconds to sing the full national song and asked what had forced the Opposition party to take such a decision.

"The Congress's Gandhi family always considers itself above the country's rules and the Constitution," he claimed.

He also said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar gave the country the Constitution, but the Congress insulted him and tore it to pieces," and added that the "dark chapter" of the Emergency unfolded in the country because of the Grand Old Party.

Thakur further targeted Rahul Gandhi's upcoming programme, saying, "The day Rahul Gandhi stops insulting the country, cursing Sanatan, and abandons the appeasement politics, the youth of the country will start taking him a little seriously."

At a separate event, he urged young people to play a key role in building a developed India by 2047.

He also praised India's fast-growing start-up ecosystem, saying the country had about 500 start-ups in 2014 and that the number has now risen to over 2.23 lakh.

In all, Thakur used his visit to criticise the Congress and Rahul Gandhi while also pitching a wider message on youth participation and economic growth.