BJP and Congress engaged in a war of words following the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s series of attack on the Modi Government, BJP and RSS during his interactions with various stakeholders in the United States.

BJP came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the US about the Sikh community, saying the Congress Leader is trying to create a “dangerous narrative” by speaking on “sensitive issues” abroad. Congress hit back at the BJP over its criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the US, saying the ruling party should not treat itself as being synonymous with the country. The principal Opposition party in the Lok Sabha also said it would keep criticising the policies of the Government.

Rahul is currently on a four-day visit to the United States. His first stop was in Dallas which began on Saturday, and he arrived in Washington DC on Monday.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told a Press conference at the BJP headquarters that Rahul’s remarks were “sinister” in nature as he tried to spread falsehood among the members of the Sikh community living abroad to “eke out a living” and do not have much connection with India.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the statement he has made about Sikhs not being able to wear turbans and kadas,” the BJP Leader from the Sikh community said.

Addressing a gathering of several hundred Indian Americans in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington DC, on Monday, Rahul Gandhi accused the RSS of considering some religions, languages and communities of being inferior to others and said the fight in India is about this and not about politics.

“First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics. That is superficial,” Rahul said as he asked one of the Sikh attendees in the front rows to give his name. What is your name, brother with the turban,” he asked.

“The fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or a kada in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That’s what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions,” said Rahul.

Hitting out at the Congress leader, Puri said Gandhi, of late, has been making statements on sensitive issues, which “involve our national identity, unity, the strength of our unity and diversity”. “I think he is trying to set a new kind of narrative which I think is a dangerous narrative,” he said.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also slammed the Congress leader for his alleged remarks accusing him of “defaming” India abroad out of his frustration due to repeated defeat in elections. “Only a frustrated person can defame the country and spoil its image abroad. Now he is raising questions not only on the Government but also the Election Commission,” Chouhan said.  Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the position carries responsibility, he said.

Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “Since when has BJP become synonymous with India that if one condemns BJP, it is equated with condemning India. The BJP and Narendra Modi should not have this misunderstanding that condemning them is like condemning India.”

“This is wrong. They (the BJP) condemn India’s founding fathers in the world, that is condemning India. We will condemn their policies and will keep doing so and raise questions, it is our job,” Khera said.

Over the BJP’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that the Lok Sabha election was not fought on a level playing field, the Congress Leader said an independent body had put forward its statistics on how there was “bungling” on 79 seats.

“When the PM says on foreign soil that people were ashamed to be born on Indian soil, what was that? When he speaks against (Jawaharlal) Nehru abroad, what was that?” he said. On BJP citing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots to slam Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the community, Khera said there is no connection between the two.

“A person sitting on the post of PM talks about recognising people by clothes. His party runs a movement against Hijab. Those who run a movement against hijab now will tomorrow also come for turbans of Sikhs. Nobody has a doubt about that,” Khera said.