Sonia Gandhi must expel Sandeep Dikshit for insulting Army Chief: BJP

Lashing out at Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit's 'sadak ka gunda' remark for Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday while condemning the same, asserted that such hurtful statements will be 'democratically rejected'.

Commenting on the Congress Party's 'trend' of periodically attacking the Indian Army, BJP leader Sambit Patra, while demanding an apology from Party President Sonia Gandhi said such leaders should be expelled immediately.

"First it was Rahul Gandhi who spoke of 'khoon ki dalali'. Following him was Sanjay Nirupam, who demanded proof post the surgical strike carried out by the Army. In the latest to join this bandwagon is Sandeep Dikshit, with his hurtful and appalling statement. Sonia Gandhi should expel such leaders and apologise for the act," Patra told ANI.

Echoing a similar stance, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao came down heavily on the Congress' 'track two politics', claiming that this 'indecent' comment was a pre-planned move by the 'Rahul Gandhi brigade'.

"There are some politicians and pseudo-intellectuals who only want to boost the morale of the Pakistani armed forces and demean our Army by making such condemnable statements. This is not the language a parliamentarian must use. This clearly shows that it was no random comment; it was a pre-planned political move by the Congress Party. This comment highlights their anti-national spirit," alleged Rao.

Earlier, General Rawat while expressing the Indian Army's preparedness to counter both external and internal threats of the country had said that the latter was fully ready for a 'two and a half front war'.

In lieu of this, Sandeep Dikshit on Sunday had said that the Army Chief shouldn't make statements like a 'sadak ka gunda' (a roadside thug).

While this comment garnered negativity from politicos across the country, Dikshit subsequently withdrew his statement and apologised for the same.

"I genuinely believe what I said was wrong. So I apologise for it and withdraw my statement," said Dikshit.