Every child is India’s future, don’t divide them: Sambit Patra

New Delhi: BJP MP and National Spokesperson Sambit Patra on Thursday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of creating a “false narrative” over the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” protest and using children for political gains, while asserting that every child, whether “Sharma or Khan”, is India’s future and should never be divided on religious lines.

Patra rejected allegations of police firing during the protest, claiming no shots were fired and accusing the Congress of spreading misinformation. He clarified that his criticism was directed at Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, not at the students who accompanied the Leader of the Opposition.

Patra said students have every democratic right to protest and recalled participating in demonstrations during his own student days. He added that the Prime Minister and the government stand with every child, irrespective of religion, caste or political affiliation.

Targeting the Congress over Jharkhand, Patra questioned why Rahul Gandhi had not met students protesting alleged irregularities, paper leaks and delays in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and JSSC. He cited the case of a gold medal-winning student who allegedly suffered depression and panic attacks due to prolonged uncertainty in the recruitment process, saying her story reflected the plight of thousands of aspirants. Patra also dismissed Rahul’s allegations regarding Parliament, saying Union Home Minister Amit Shah regularly attends the House and that repeated disruptions by Opposition MPs have hampered proceedings.

Reiterating the BJP’s message of unity, Patra said no political agenda aimed at dividing children on religious lines would succeed and urged political parties not to use students as political tools.