BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Saturday mocked critics who label Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "dictator", saying the Prime Minister had "failed" to live up to that description. He contrasted Modi's response to the recent NEET protest controversy with what he described as the Congress's and opposition-ruled states' approach towards dissent.
In a video shared on X, Poonawalla sarcastically said he was "deeply disappointed" with the Prime Minister, remarking, "Twelve years have gone by, and he has failed. He still doesn't know how to become a proper dictator."
His comments came a day after PM Modi released a video message asking people to forgive the students who had allegedly used abusive language against him and his late mother during the NEET protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
Poonawalla said that instead of acting like a dictator, Modi had appealed to society, the police and everyone else to pardon the students.
"Last night he released a video and, referring to the children who abused constitutional authorities and his late mother, he said, 'They are mischievous children, forgive them.' He appealed to society, the police and everyone else to forgive them," Poonawalla said.
The BJP leader then turned his criticism towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Rahul Gandhi is a descendant of Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Learn from them what a real dictatorship is, what a real Emergency looks like, Modi ji."
He further alleged that while the Modi government withdrew cases against student protesters after accepting their demands, Congress governments were filing cases over social media posts and protests.
Referring to recent developments, Poonawalla claimed cases had been registered in Kerala against Instagram users for allegedly insulting Rahul Gandhi. He also cited police action in Karnataka over a poster and against a rap artist.
Drawing on the Congress's political history, Poonawalla alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru had curtailed freedom of speech and that Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency, jailed opposition leaders and silenced dissent.
He also mentioned the Assam movement, the Navnirman movement and Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign, alleging that thousands of protesters were imprisoned during those periods.
Addressing the Prime Minister once again, Poonawalla said, "Today, children are using abusive language and you're saying, 'They are kids, mistakes happen. We should guide them towards the right path.' But Rahul ji, acting like a real dictator, is getting cases filed over an Instagram post."
He concluded with another dig at Modi's critics, saying, "Modi ji, it has been 12 years. You still haven't become a dictator. You have shattered the hopes of all these Left liberals. You have failed."
PM's appeal to forgive students
In a late-night video released on Friday, Prime Minister Modi said it hurt him that even his late mother had been subjected to "filthy abuses" during the NEET protests, but urged society not to punish the students.
Describing them as "misguided children", Modi appealed to people to forgive them and help them learn from their mistakes.
"The children are ours. It is our responsibility to guide them on the right path," the Prime Minister said, adding that taking them to court or publicly shaming them would not resolve the issue.
His remarks came days after the 36-day agitation led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) concluded following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and the government's acceptance of the protesters' key demands.
The demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination received widespread backing from opposition parties, many of whose leaders repeatedly accused the Modi government of behaving in a "dictatorial" manner during the police crackdown on protesters. Several Opposition leaders, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, had used the term "dictator" while criticising the government's handling of the agitation.
Poonawalla's remarks on Saturday were made in response to the Opposition's repeated criticism of the Narendra Modi-led government.
