Union Minister G Kishan Reddy Goel attacked Rahul Gandhi at an event.

New Delhi:

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, saying he was “irrelevant” in politics.

Attending an exhibition on the Emergency imposed in the country on June 25, 1975 by the Indira Gandhi government, Mr Reddy said, “Rahul Gandhi neither understands democracy, nor state politics nor central politics nor international politics. He is irrelevant in politics.”

The exhibition at senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union minister Vijay Goel’s residence was also attended by party national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, vice president and Delhi unit in-charge Shyam Jaju, Delhi unit chief Adesh Gupta among others.

The Congress had imposed Emergency in the country to save the post of an individual while “throttling” an Allahabad High Court order, Mr Reddy told reporters.

“Rahul Gandhi must read about the atrocities committed by the Congress during Emergency. Opposition leaders were jailed, political parties and organisations working in the interest of the people banned, sterilisation was forced and freedom of media taken away during Emergency,” he said.

Mr Goel, who as well as his father late Charti Lal Goel were jailed during Emergency, said the exhibition was held to remind the young generations of the “dark period” of democracy in the country.

“I salute all the fighters who protected democracy, despite enduring injustice and torture, and did not succumb to those who killed democracy. Through this exhibition, we want people to know the true face and character of the Congress,” he said.