New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal’s remark that he was “ashamed” to live in India has sparked a controversy.
Reacting to the alleged assaults on Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee in West Bengal, Sibal said: “It’s shameful, absolutely shameful. I’m ashamed that I’m living in a country where this is what happens, where the political party in power will use any means to destroy whatever foundations of democracy our great leaders laid down when this republic came into being.”
The BJP hit out at the senior advocate, accusing him of “hating India” and alleging that he was silent on incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal in 2021.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a video message that Sibal earned “crores of rupees” by practising in India’s Supreme Court and yet claimed to be ashamed of living in the country.
“Kapil Sibal says that he is ashamed to live in India. The question is, when post-poll violence happened in 2021 and more than 300 BJP workers and Congress workers were allegedly killed, Kapil Sibal never opened his mouth. The same Kapil Sibal kept quiet even during cases such as RG Kar and Sandeshkhali,” Poonawalla said.
The BJP spokesperson said political differences with the government are acceptable, but questioned a tendency among some Opposition leaders to attack the country because of their opposition to the BJP.
“Opposing the BJP is one thing, but why oppose India? You can have political differences, but why hate India?” Poonawalla said.
Sibal’s comment came after TMC national general secretary and Diamon Harbour MP Abhishek had eggs, stones and abuses thrown at him during his visit to a post-poll violence victim’s family on Saturday. On Sunday, Sreerampore MP Kalyan was allegedly heckled and attacked in front of a police station in the Hooghly district.
