India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday demanded an apology from the Congress Party over a controversial remark made by Gaurav Pandhi, a party coordinator, against former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Vajpayee is valued and mentioned as one of the most widely-respected politicians India ever had.
The latest criticism came as former Congress chief and parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited the memorials of respected Indian personalities, including former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Lal Bahadur Shashtri.
Rahul Gandhi Paid Tributes to Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
© Photo : Twitter/@INCIndia
In a tweet on Monday, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said if Rahul Gandhi truly means the respect he has demonstrated for Vajpayee, Congress should apologize for the comments Pandhi made and sack him as a punishment.
Earlier on Sunday, right after Pandhi’s controversial tweet on Vajpayee, Poonawalla suggested it had become the "habit" of Congress to insult Indian politicians like Veer Savarkar, B.R. Ambedkar, Vajpayee, and others.
In another tweet, Poonawalla slammed Congress and its spokesperson Pawan Khera over his tweet on former Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla Slammed Rahul Gandhi and Congress over Controversial Tweet of Gaurav Pandhi
© Photo : Twitter/@Shehzad_Ind
The attack on grand-old party came after Pandhi on December 25, the birth anniversary of Vajpayee, said in a tweet that Vajpayee had boycotted the Quit India Movement and worked as a “British Informer", reporting against those who participated in the Mahatma Gandhi-led movement.
“In 1942, like all other members of the RSS, Atal Bihari Vajpayee boycotted the Quit India Movement & worked as a British Informer reporting against those who participated in the andolan. Be it Nellie massacre or demolition of Babri, Vajpayee played an imp role in inciting mobs. There is a reason why BJP leaders today always liken Modi with Gandhi, Patel or other Congress leaders and not Savarkar, Vajpayee or Golwalkar. They know the truth!" the Congress politician wrote on Twitter.
Following the uproar, Pandhi has deleted the tweet. However, no apology came from the Congress party.