Congress should not try to teach us nationalism: BJP

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said the Congress, which has sought "proof of martyrdom" of the armed forces, should not teach nationalism to his Bharatiya Janata Party.

Hitting back at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who had attacked the BJP on Monday for building a narrative around nationalism, Prasad claimed it was her brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi, who had supported "tukde tukde gang" and sought proof of the air strike in Pakistan's Balakot.

"Priyanka had said that their nationalism and ours is different. When slogans like 'desh ke tukde, inshallah' were raised in the JNU, Rahul had gone there to address them. Was it nationalism?" he said.

Never in the history of independent India, doubts were raised on the sacrifices made by armed force personnel, he said.

"Congress should not give us advice on nationalism. Rahul and the Congress had asked for proof to check if the Balakot airstrike happened," he said.

Stressing the BJP's thinking was to strengthen nationalism as it opposes those trying to infiltrate into the country, Prasad said the BJP was "proud" that the nationalism had become an electoral issue.

"Nationalism, national security, national self-confidence and national self-respect have come to the centre of the discourse of the electoral campaign due to opposition seeking evidence of sacrifices and valour of armed forces," he said.

--IANS

spk/vd