Rahul Gandhi has been criticising the government over the amended Citizenship Act
Hitting back at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his "Savarkar" jibe at the BJP, the ruling party on Saturday said a "more appropriate" name for the Congress leader is "Rahul Jinnah" as his "Muslim appeasement" politics makes him worthy of Pakistan's founder.
While addressing the Congress' "Bharat Bachao Rally" at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, Mr Gandhi had rejected the BJP's demand for an apology for his "Rape in India" barb at the Modi government, saying his name was Rahul Gandhi, not "Rahul Savarkar", and that he will never apologise for speaking the truth.
Targeting Mr Gandhi, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, "The more appropriate name for you Rahul Gandhi is Rahul Jinnah. Your Muslim appeasement politics and mindset makes you a worthy legatee of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, not Savarkar."
Another BJP spokesperson, Sambit Patra, said Mr Gandhi can never be "Rahul Savarkar". "Savarkar stood for patriotism, bravery and sacrifice while the Congress leader is somebody who spoke what Pakistan said on issues like the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Article 370 and surgical strikes," Mr Patra said.
Amit Malviya, the BJP information technology cell head, tweeted that the former Congress president was right that he can never be "Rahul Savarkar".
"For once Rahul Gandhi is right. He can never be 'Rahul Savarkar'. Veer Savarkar is a national icon, who has had a civilisational impact on India's polity and will continue to be revered for generations to come. 5 generation of Nehru-Gandhi family can't measure up to his legacy," Mr Malviya said.