‘Childish’: Maha Minister blasts Rahul Gandhi on MPSC protest remarks
Mumbai, Oct 12 (IANS) Maharashtra Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashish Shelar on Monday launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, describing his remarks on the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) student protests as “childish” and accusing the Opposition of engaging in unconstitutional street politics.
Speaking to reporters at the Mumbai Press Club, Minister Shelar strongly disputed LoP Rahul Gandhi’s assertion that the MPSC chairperson’s decision to go on leave represented a victory for protesting students and their Satyagraha.
Dismissing LoP Rahul Gandhi’s narrative, he asserted that the government and the ruling alliance had continuously stood by the agitating aspirants.
“Gandhi’s comments are childish. We were also with the students; thus, it is also our victory,” he declared, emphasising that addressing candidate grievances was a collective priority rather than a partisan achievement.
The minister urged political leaders to respect established institutional procedures instead of inciting chaos or staging street demonstrations.
Minister Shelar argued that as the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi should utilise legitimate avenues—such as floor debates in Parliament or legal petitions in the Supreme Court—to raise critical issues.
He emphasised that grievances must be addressed through constitutional mechanisms, including legislative debates and judicial review.
Noting that legal matters are currently pending before courts, he stressed that all parties must await judicial verdicts rather than provoking public unrest. Creating widespread agitation and storming streets, he warned, poses a serious threat to national stability and governance.
To reinforce his point, Shelar invoked B. R. Ambedkar’s historic final address to the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949. He recalled Ambedkar’s stark warning regarding the “grammar of anarchy”—the peril of abandoning constitutional methods for civil disobedience once democratic avenues become available.
Drawing a contrast with his own party’s history, Minister Shelar cited the BJP’s decades in opposition. He noted that while the party spearheaded major national movements over issues like the Ram Temple, Jammu & Kashmir, and student rights, it consistently operated within institutional frameworks without storming Parliament or invading the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Addressing accusations of authoritarianism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, Minister Shelar pushed back, pointing to sustained public demonstrations—including widespread farmer protests—as proof of active democratic freedoms in India.
He concluded by reiterating that political rivalries must be resolved through democratic dialogue, court rulings, and parliamentary debate rather than by undermining public institutions.
–IANS
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