Called Confidence, Not Arrogance: EAM Hits Out at Rahul Gandhi's Remarks on IFS

Rahul Gandhi had hit out at the BJP at ‘Ideas for India’ conclave in London organised by think-tank Bridge India.

Rahul Gandhi speaking at the ‘Ideas for India’ conclave in London

(Photo Courtesy: Rahul Gandhi/Twitter)

Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks about "Indian Foreign Service (IFS) has changed" at an event in London, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, 21 May, said that it is called "confidence and defending the national interest."

Speaking at the ‘Ideas for India’ conclave in London organised by non-profit think-tank 'Bridge India' on Friday, 20 May, the former Congress chief said, “I was talking to some bureaucrats from Europe and they were saying that the IFS has completely changed. They don't listen to anything. They are arrogant. Now, they are just telling us what orders do they get. There is no conversation. You can't do that."

Sharing the 19-second video clip, the EAM tweeted, "Yes, the Indian Foreign Service has changed. Yes, they follow the orders of the Government. Yes, they counter the arguments of others. No, it's not called arrogance. It is called confidence. And it is called defending national interest."

Following the event, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also lashed out at Gandhi for his remarks “BJP has spread kerosene all over the country” at the event.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, speaking at a press conference, said that the Congress leader has "tarnished" the image of the country, news agency ANI reported.

“Rahul Gandhi recently spoke at a seminar of Cambridge University in London and tarnished the image of the country by going there. It has become a habit of Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family that they hate PM Modi ji and speak against Mother India,” Bhatia said, as quoted by ANI.

At the event, the Wayanad Member of Parliament (MP) had said, “India is not in a good place. BJP has spread kerosene all over the country. You need one spark and we will be in big trouble. I think that is also the responsibility of the opposition, the Congress to bring people, communities, states, and religions together.”

“We need to cool this temperature down because if it doesn’t cool down, things can go wrong,” he added.

Bhatia alleged that the Congress from 1984 till today is engaged "in planting and disturbing harmony."

“Rahul Gandhi….whenever he goes to foreign soil, whether it is London, America, Singapore, his expressions show somewhere the condition of today’s Congress party. From 1984 till now, is on fire in the country. It is engaged in planting and disturbing harmony.

In London, Rahul Gandhi says that BJP has sprinkled kerosene in the country. Rahul Gandhi ji, Congress party sprinkles kerosene oil. Remember the 1984 riots… the leaders of the Congress party got the massacre done, it was the Congress leaders who poured that kerosene,” the BJP spokesperson said.

(With inputs from ANI.)