Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, took an opportunity to draw a comparison between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the notorious North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, amidst allegations emerging from a former Mumbai Youth Congress president. The former president, Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of the erstwhile Congress figure Baba Siddique, claimed to have faced body-shaming by Rahul Gandhi's associates, adding fuel to Sarma's pointed remark.
In his statement, Sarma remarked that the only other individual he could parallel Gandhi's purported demands for party members to adhere to certain physical standards was the dynastic ruler of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, known for his stringent control and image obsession. This comparison, as conveyed through Sarma's message on X, underscores the perceived severity of the situation.
Siddiqui's allegations against Rahul Gandhi's team further deepened the controversy. He accused them of prioritizing superficial attributes over substantive qualities, claiming to have been asked to shed weight before being granted an audience with Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Nanded. Siddiqui expressed his dismay at the apparent discrimination within the party, lamenting Congress's seeming disregard for minorities, a sentiment echoed by his father's recent departure from the party to join the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar.
Thus, Sarma's comparison serves not only as a critique of Gandhi's leadership style but also encapsulates broader issues of intra-party dynamics and minority representation within the Congress, as highlighted by Siddiqui's revelations and his father's subsequent political realignment.
