BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan said on Thursday that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, "owes an immediate and unconditional apology to this nation" for "demeaning India" during his US trip.
Speaking with news agency ANI, Kesavan said Rahul Gandhi's "recent visit to America can be best summed up as 'Bharat Badnaam Yatra' or 'India Abuse Trip'. The BJP leader added that Gandhi's actions will "neither be forgotten nor forgiven" by the people of the country.
Kesavan called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi "a compulsive liar who deliberately twisted the truth, distorted facts and fabricated falsehood to try and disgrace, demean and diminish India's prestige and honour abroad".
"Like a pied piper, whenever Rahul Gandhi indulges in an anti-India rant and rhetoric, these people, who openly advocate actions against India and belittle India's freedom and democracy, rally around Rahul Gandhi," Kesavan said.
He further attacked Gandhi saying that when he goes abroad, “he is like a cheerleader for all these anti-India radicals who try to belittle India's position abroad.”
The BJP leader said Rahul Gandhi must "stop lying, stop demeaning India" whenever he goes on foreign trip. "...because you may be a delusional bubble because you have been defeated by the people for the last three Lok Sabha elections but these actions will neither be forgotten nor forgiven by the people," the BJP spokesperson said.
"You [Rahul Gandhi] owe an immediate and unconditional apology to this nation," Kesavan said, adding that he should apologise at least “as a member of Parliament and citizen of India”.
Kesavan also likened Rahul Gandhi to ‘Shishupala’, a character from epic mythology Mahabharata, who “demeaned and disgraced Lord Krishna” in a hall full of people .
“Rahul Gandhi is like that when he goes abroad…fortunately for the people of India, they know the difference between Shishupala and Lor Krishna,” the BJP leader said.
Kesavan's statement came days after Gandhi, at a press conference at the prestigious National Press Club in Washington on Tuesday, slammed the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the conflict with China.
Gandhi reportedly said it is a disaster that 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory is occupied by troops from the neighbouring country.
"Well, if you call having Chinese troops in 4,000 square kilometres of our territory handling something well, then maybe. We've got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh. I think that's a disaster. Media doesn't like to write about it," Gandhi was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.
"How would America react if a neighbour occupied 4,000 square kilometres of your territory? Would any president be able to get away with saying that he's handled that well? So, I don't think Modi has handled China well. I think there's no reason Chinese troops should be sitting in our territory," Gandhi reportedly said.
However, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha indicated that the Congress is in broad agreement with the BJP-led government on other major foreign policy issues, including relations with the US, no talks with Pakistan unless terrorism ends and concerns over extremist elements in Bangladesh.
(With inputs from PTI)
