BJP leaders slam Rahul Gandhi over remarks made in Parliament

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech in the Parliament on Wednesday has drawn huge flak from the ruling BJP leaders.

The ruling party leaders condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks related to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, judiciary, Election Commission, unemployment, pegasus spyware and foreign policy.

Reacting to the remarks made by the former Congress chief while addressing the motion of thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi said, "The Congress which doesn't have democracy within their party, is talking about our elected Prime Minister in a very very silly manner. I don't understand his mentality and language. He is talking about China and Pakistan, they have been against us since decades, it's a known fact."

"When somebody comes to our home, we always request him to remove shoes outside, it's our culture. We keep separate slippers for home, Rahul Gandhi doesn't understand this. I must say he is a brainless person," Joshi said while reacting to Rahul Gandhi's allegation that a group of politicians from Manipur was "forced to remove their shoes" at Amit Shah's home.

Similarly, Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal said, "It is a religious matter of an individual, as many of us do puja at home and don't allow shoes at home."

Rahul Gandhi, during his speech, "narrated an incident" about Amit Shah alleging that when a delegation from Manipur went to meet Shah, "they were told to remove their shoes, whereas Amit Shah himself was wearing slippers".

The Congress leader, demanding an apology from Shah, has asserted that the Home Minister has "insulted people of Manipur".

Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has sought the Congress leader's apology for his comments on Constitutional institutions- Judiciary and the Election Commission.

"How can he give reference to a matter (pegasus spyware) which is sub judice, he should know the rules," BJP MP Nishikant Dubey interrupted Rahul Gandhi during his speech, quoting the rule.

Meanwhile, responding to the former Congress president's remark that the BJP-led Central government brought "Pakistan and China together", External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that the two Asian countries have been sharing close ties since the last several decades.

Jaishankar also rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegation that "it is India's faulty foreign policy under the Narendra Modi-led government which made China and Pakistan join hands together against India, and convert into a front".