BJP calls Rahul 'Jaichand', says Congress chief Kharge should expel him

Gaurav Bhatia likened Gandhi to Jaichand, the king of Kannauj who is projected as a betrayer to the Indian cause in some historical accounts

The BJP launched a fierce attack on Rahul Gandhi on Saturday for his remark that Chinese soldiers are beating up Indian Army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh and said the Congress should immediately expel him from the party.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said if Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is not "remote-controlled" and if the opposition party stands with the country, then Gandhi should be expelled for his comments, which "belittle" India and break the morale of its armed forces.

Bhatia likened Gandhi to Jaichand, the king of Kannauj who is projected as a betrayer to the Indian cause in some historical accounts, and alleged that the former Congress chief has constantly tried to break the armed forces' morale, be it after the surgical and airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan or after the Galwan valley clashes, in which 20 soldiers had laid down their lives.

While Gandhi allegedly sought evidence of the armed forces' strikes on terrorists inside Pakistan, he called the prime minister "Surender Modi" after the Galwan fight, the BJP leader said.

The Congress leader should tender an apology to the country for his statement, he said. His sin will not be washed away with the apology but it will at least demonstrate that he has realised his mistake, he said.

At a press conference in Jaipur on Friday during his "Bharat Jodo Yatra", Gandhi claimed that China is preparing for a war and accused the government of trying to "ignore" the threat, saying it is "asleep" and not ready to accept the situation.

In an apparent reference to a recent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh, he said Indian jawans in the region are being "beaten up".

Bhatia told reporters that if the Congress does not act against Gandhi, who continues to be seen as its main driving force, it will mean that his statement is reflective of the opposition party's mindset.

The Congress has become less of a political party and more of a den of anti-India activities, the BJP leader alleged.

Bhatia said it was the Indian soldiers who beat up the Chinese and chased them away, and that every citizen of the country is proud of them.

"Why is Rahul Gandhi, India's Jaichand, working to break the morale of our brave soldiers?" he asked.

While every Indian is happy when the country's soldiers demonstrate their valour, its enemies and the Congress suffer a lot of pain, he said.

It is no longer the India of 1962 as its brave soldiers also have a strong political leadership under Modi, Bhatia asserted.

Not even an inch of Indian territory was captured by anyone in the last more than eight years, he claimed. No one can dare India, he said, adding that the country is now showing the way to the world.

Bhatia cited a reply in Parliament by the previous Congress government that China had grabbed more than 43,180 square kilometres of Indian territory and noted that this had happened under its rule.

Hitting out at the opposition party, he referred to its agreement when it was in power with the Chinese Communist Party and said it should make its content public.

It seems it is part of the agreement that the Congress will never condemn China, he said, claiming that the party will be betraying the country by not sharing its details.