'Party for Muslims' row: Digvijay attacks BJP

Wading into a row over a remark attributed to Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today demanded "proof" from the BJP that the party chief had ever said that the Congress is the "party for Muslims".

A huge controversy has erupted after some reports claimed that Gandhi had told a meeting of Muslim intellectuals that Congress is a "party for Muslims".

Latching onto the remarks attributed to Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a swipe at the Congress saying it was a "party for Muslim men" only as it was opposing the tripe talaq bill which would benefit Muslim women.

"It was absolutely a lie that Rahul has said that Congress was the party of Muslims. The BJP is misguiding the people by spreading such lies," Singh told reporters here.

"I read in a newspaper that the Congress president had said that Congress is a party of Muslims, and there has been discussion on this for the past two days. Modi had also spoken at a public meeting in Azamgarh on July 14.

"Give us proof that Rahul had made such a remark," the former chief minister said.

Singh said the Congress represented every faith.

"The Congress had fought against the British. It is the party of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. Who says that it is the party of one community only?" he asked.

He said Union ministers seem to have no time to speak about their ministries but evince keen interest in other issues.

"Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman does not have time for holding a press conference relating to her ministry. Union Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) has responsibility of internal security but he does not give any statement," he added.

To a question regarding groupism in Madhya Pradesh Congress, he said Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan should ask this to BJP general secretary Kailash Vijaywargiya.

"Factionalism is prevailing in the top state leadership of the BJP," he said.

Vijaywargiya, a former minister, is considered to be a rival of Chouhan in the BJP.