JP Nadda said he wanted Rahul Gandhi to "speak only ten lines" on CAA (File)
BJP working president JP Nadda on Sunday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "silence" on raging violence and the damage caused to public property during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in the country.
Mr Nadda also questioned Rahul Gandhi's "limited intellect and knowledge" about the new citizenship law and dared him to speak "even ten lines" on its provisions.
According to the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants, and be given Indian citizenship.
Addressing a "BJP thanksgiving" programme in Indore in Madhya Pradesh for enacting the CAA, Mr Nadda said he wanted Rahul Gandhi to "speak only ten lines" on the provisions of the CAA, which is being opposed by the Congress.
"I want to ask Rahul Gandhi to speak only ten lines on the CAA provisions. He should also speak only two lines on the provisions, which according to him are harming the country. It is very unfortunate that the people who come to lead the country do not even know the basics about CAA," Mr Nadda said.
He said Rahul Gandhi has not made even a single statement condemning vandalism during anti-CAA demonstrations.
"Public property has been damaged in the country on a large scale during the violent protests in the last one week. But, has Rahul made any statement condemning this loss?" he asked.
Acknowledging a "conflict of of ideologies" between the Congress and the BJP, Mr Nadda said Rahul Gandhi's outlook might be different from the BJP due to his "limited intellect".
"...But to what extent is it appropriate that you (Rahul) do not speak out a single word on ongoing violence?" Mr Nadda asked.
The country is on the boil since last seven days with thousands of protesters taking to streets in many states to oppose the provisions of "anti-Muslim" CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.
The anti-CAA protests had turned violent in Assam, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh where incidents of arson, stone-pelting and firing were reported in some areas.
Meanwhile, Mr Nadda accused the Congress of "provoking" a particular section of the society by "misleading" them on the CAA.
"Congress is doing politics on the violence by placing a vote bank above the country," he alleged.