New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore has strongly criticised the leaders who have attacked Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Tagore’s remarks came in response to former Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed’s comment describing Rahul Gandhi as the most cowardly and insecure politician in India.
Posting on the social media platform X, Manickam Tagore expressed his disappointment, saying, “I am not surprised, only saddened once again to see how betrayal reveals itself when courage walks the toughest path.” He added that at a time when Congress needed unity the most, people like Shakeel Ahmed and former BSP leader Rashid Alvi chose to attack the very leader who has travelled over 4,000 kilometres to defeat hatred and spread love, and covered 6,000 kilometres during the India Jodo Nyay Yatra to unite the country with justice and dignity.
Tagore clarified that these attacks are not about ideology or genuine concern but are motivated by the desire for television visibility, relevance, and pleasing new power holders. “This is not a new phenomenon but a fresh batch of traitors,” he said. According to Tagore, some of these critics are ministers in the Modi government, some are parliamentarians, one is a current Chief Minister, and several are unemployed individuals who have switched parties. He dubbed them the ‘2026 batch of Jaichands’.
He further stated that the Indian public knows the truth. When many claimed that the India Alliance would never cross 150 seats after the temple construction, the same leader led a campaign that brought the alliance to within just 32 seats of power—an unexpected result. Yet today, that very leader is being mocked.
Tagore highlighted that in 2024, Rahul Gandhi revived politics on the streets by winning 240 seats, challenging hatred with love, and proving that perseverance can shatter myths. Attacking the Congress president, he said, also insults Mallikarjun Kharge, one of the biggest Dalit leaders and the democratic soul of the Congress in current Indian politics.
He concluded that such political journeys reveal many truths—on one side hatred, and on the other, betrayal. The public is watching closely, and history will remember who fought for India and who begged for power.
