The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused Rahul Gandhi of insulting India's democracy from foreign land and lashed out for his trenchant criticism of the government and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at events in Britain, claiming it is its clear conviction that he is completely in the grip of "Maoist thought process through his minions" and also "anarchist elements".
Addressing a press conference, former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also expressed his party's disapproval of Gandhi "misusing the forum of British Parliament" to "insult" India by spreading "shameful" lies and unfounded claims, and said there needed to be a "proper rebuttal".
He accused the Congress leader of seeking to shame India's democracy, polity, Parliament, judicial system and strategic security from a foreign land with his speeches in Britain.
If people of India do not support him and he keeps losing elections, then he should not tell lies from a foreign country to vent out his frustration, Prasad said.
The BJP leader sought reactions from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge if he "feels" that he is an elected president of the party.
He and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi should make their stand clear on Rahul Gandhi's "utterly irresponsible" statements and whether the opposition party supports them or not, Prasad said.
Gandhi told British parliamentarians in London on Monday that microphones in front of opposition members in Lok Sabha are often silenced.
During an event organised by veteran Indian-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma within the House of Commons complex, he said opposition parties in India are often not allowed to debate issues in Parliament.
Prasad said Gandhi has forgotten all parliamentary norms, political propriety and "democratic shame" by criticising Indians from abroad.
He further said people of India neither listen nor understand him and supporting him is a distant thing.
Therefore, Gandhi goes abroad and laments that India's democracy is in danger. This is a matter of great shame, Prasad added.
"Rahul Gandhi has insulted everything, including India's democracy, parliament, people, political system, judicial system and strategic security," the former Union minister said.
He also accused Gandhi of seeking the intervention of Europe and the US in India and said he had gone against the consensus in India against any interference in its internal affairs by foreign powers.
"Rahul Gandhi has tried to embarrass the country by saying that Europe and America should interfere in the internal affairs of India," he said.
The BJP leader also slammed Rahul Gandhi for his condemnation of the RSS, claiming that the Hindutva organisation has been serving society and the nation.
He also said the Sangh's ideology and influence has now spread across the country. However, Rahul Gandhi's party has been shrinking and in 2024, the Congress is going to shrink further, the BJP leader claimed.
Meanwhile, the Congress slammed Ravi Shankar Prasad over his criticism of Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK, accusing him of distorting, twisting and lying "with a straight face".
The Congress' attack came after Prasad, a former Union minister, lashed out at Gandhi for his criticism of the state of democracy in India and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh).
"Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad is doing what he and his Supremo do best-- distort, twist, defame and lie with a straight face," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.
Tagging a media report on Prasad's remarks at the presser, Congress' media department head Pawan Khera said on Twitter, "There is nothing more amusing than watching an unemployed leader of a ruling party trying to seek relevance and re-employment."
"Those who have a full time job of twisting statements of opposition leaders forget their own favourite slogan 'Ab Kii Baar, Trump Sarkaar'," Khera said.
