Bengaluru, Sep 13 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya charged on Friday that "India's enemies are Rahul Gandhi's friends" while criticising the Leader of the Opposition's statements during his US visit.

The BJP leader added that "anti-national forces have gained new strength from his (Rahul Gandhi) lies."

Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Bengaluru, Tejasvi Surya, who is also the national president of BJP Yuva Morcha, said, 'In the last few days, Rahul Gandhi, who holds a Constitutional position in India, made statements against the nation during his interviews and debates in the USA. These statements are being taken seriously in the country.'

Rahul Gandhi's remarks were not only false but also seen as encouraging and giving new life to anti-national forces. Considering the individuals Rahul Gandhi met there, their backgrounds, and their history, it is evident that Rahul Gandhi is on friendly terms with anti-India forces, Surya alleged.

'India's enemies are Rahul Gandhi's friends, and this is evident from his itinerary. In India, Rahul Gandhi claims that the BJP would abolish reservations, demands a caste census, and asserts that injustice is being done to OBCs and SC-STs. However, in the USA, Rahul Gandhi delivers a hypocritical speech suggesting that if possible, the Congress would revoke reservations,' Surya said.

'This exposes the politics of the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi to the people of the country. I am not surprised by Rahul Gandhi's statement on revoking reservations. The reason is that Rahul Gandhi's party, throughout its history -- from the times of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru to former PM Rajiv Gandhi -- has opposed reservations,' Surya claimed.

He pointed out that when the process of implementing reservations was ongoing, then Prime Minister Nehru wrote letters to all the Chief Ministers of the country, claiming that reservations would negatively impact the nation.

In 1956, the Kaka Kalelkar report recommended providing reservations for OBCs. However, that report was discarded. It wasn't until former PM V.P. Singh came to power and took it up that it was brought out of cold storage, having been withheld by the Congress party, Surya alleged.

When the V.P. Singh government was set to implement the Mandal Commission's report, Rajiv Gandhi, who was then the Leader of the Opposition, vehemently opposed it. Throughout his political career in Parliament, Rajiv Gandhi's speeches were against the Mandal Commission, he emphasised.

When the Mandal Commission's report recommended reservations in education and jobs, Rajiv Gandhi, in an interview, claimed that 'buddhus' (fools) cannot be given opportunities under the pretext of reservations. He had insulted and humiliated the OBC, SC, and ST communities, and this is on record, Surya underlined.

Until Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, the OBC Commission did not have constitutional status. The 27 per cent reservation for OBCs was not provided in Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, NEET exams, or medical colleges, he noted.

However, when Rahul Gandhi is in India, he demands a caste census and reservations based on caste. But in the USA, he sings a different tune. His hypocrisy has been exposed and is being questioned by the people of India, Surya said.

Rahul Gandhi met with Ilhan Omar, a US Congresswoman known for her anti-India stance, who has raised her voice against India in the US Congress and claimed that India is committing atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. What does Rahul Gandhi have to do with her? He further participated in an event and appeared to endorse her viewpoints. There can be no more disgusting behaviour from an Opposition leader, Surya slammed.

Ilhan Omar, who opposed the proposal in the US Congress (House of Representatives) to grant fast-track citizenship and green cards to Indian citizens, has now shared a platform with Rahul Gandhi and expressed agreement with his statements. This reflects a level of behaviour unbecoming of a leader of the opposition, Surya stated.

Why should Rahul Gandhi associate with a journalist like Mushtaq Fazal from Bangladesh, who has anti-India leanings? Why should he share a platform with him, he questioned. He systematically radicalised youth in Bangladesh against India. He propagated that the Indian government committed atrocities on women at the Shaheen Bagh protest in foreign newspapers, Surya said.

/IANS