Rahul Gandhi visited the Haryana village where two children were killed on Monday. (Press Trust of India photo)
Angry over Rahul Gandhi's visit to a Dalit family in Haryana being dubbed as a
"photo op", Congress today said it would not be deterred by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "mocking" which was an "insult to the dead infants".
Congress also accused parties like Akali Dal, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party of "playing politics on orchestrated events" like the BJP and Sangh Parivar.
"Nation is mocking the BJP, when it calls an extension of condolence and compassion as 'photo op'. It is an insult to the dead infants,", party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters justifying the visit by the Congress Vice President to the Dalit family in Faridabad district where two children died after their house was set on fire, allegedly by members of an upper caste community.
He said that incidents like these as also those of lynching of people are "orchestrated events to polarise for cheap political benefits".
The country, he claimed, is witnessing a "conceited and concerted" attempt of fanning inter community and inter caste flames as the "fault lines that had withered are being activated by the BJP and the Sangh Parivar".
"We are neither going to be deterred by the mocking of the BJP or the media. We are least bothered about those who make such casual caustic remarks. Congress President and Vice President try to extend hand of compassion, BJP calls it photo ops!
"What about photo ops of Swachh Bharat, Yoga Day and Mann ki Baat," Mr Singhvi asked.
Seeking to dismiss the BJP charge, he recalled that Mr Gandhi had visited Mirchpur, Haryana in 2010 in the wake of attacks on Dalits and recently the drought affected farmers of Karnataka.