BJP says Rahul Gandhi insulted India abroad; twisting statement: Congress

Hitting back at the BJP over its criticism of Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK, the Congress on Tuesday said the ruling party is "rattled" whenever he speaks and was resorting to distorting, twisting and lying on his comments.

The Congress' attack came after Ravi Shankar 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).

At a press conference, the BJP leader also accused Gandhi of seeking the intervention of Europe and the US in India, and said he has gone against the consensus in India against any interference in its internal affairs by foreign powers.

"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, 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.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also hit out at the BJP over its criticism of Gandhi and said that the former Congress president made a very powerful statement as far as democratic values in India are concerned.

"There was no doubt in his mind, he said this is our problem, this is an internal problem, this is an Indian problem and we will find solutions within India," Shrinate told reporters here at the AICC headquarters.

"He (Gandhi) also went on to say that when 140 crore people are part of your democratic system, the fate of Indian democracy impacts the fate of democracy on the planet. He is actually telling the world that India will decide the fate and direction of democracies all over the world, it is a hugely laudable statement," she said.

"If anybody had any sense they would applaud him but instead the Modi government, its two-rupee trolls, its MLAs, MPs, ministers, out of job ministers, are all running forth as to who would stoop lower," Shrinate said.

Each time Rahul Gandhi gives a statement, the BJP is "ratttled", she claimed.

She also said that if the BJP has issues with what he has said, it should debate all those topics he has spoken on in Parliament.

Gandhi's remarks at various interactions in the UK have triggered a political slugfest with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and the Congress hitting back by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raking up internal politics abroad.