"Despicable, Condemnable": Vice President Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks In US

Launching a stinging attack on Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi without naming him, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said there is nothing more "condemnable and despicable" than someone who holds a constitutional post "becoming part of" the enemies of the nation. 

Mr Dhankhar's comments come a day after the BJP hit out at Mr Gandhi, with Union Minister Amit Shah leading the charge and alleging that it has become a habit for the Congress leader to stand with "forces that conspire to divide the country". The Vice President's volley was prompted by Mr Gandhi's remarks during his visit to the US  in which he spoke - among other things - about reservation and religious freedom in India.

Addressing Rajya Sabha interns at Parliament House, the Vice President accused the Congress leader of having no idea of Bharat, the Constitution and national interest and said he was sure people's hearts must be bleeding at what they had seen. 

"Imagine, the ultimate sacrifice has been given by how many in getting this freedom, in protecting this freedom, in protecting the nation. Our brothers and sisters are also involved in combat positions. Mothers have lost their sons,  wives have lost their husbands. We can't ridicule our nationalism," Mr Dhankhar thundered. 

"Every Indian outside the country has to be an ambassador of this nation. How painful that one who holds a Constitutional position is doing just the reverse of it. Nothing can be more condemnable, despicable and intolerable than that you become part of enemies of the nation! They do not understand the value of freedom. They do not understand that this country has a civilisational depth of 5,000 years," he added.

Mr Dhankhar said the Constitution was sacred and a result of three years of painstaking work through debate, dialogue and deliberation. 

"The challenges before them were Himalayan, insurmountable. The issues were divisive, there could not be easy consensus. They worked for it, they worked for us. And now, some people want to divide our nation. This is ignorance in extremity," the Vice President added. 

On Wednesday, Mr Gandhi had clarified his remarks on reservation - he had said that the Congress will "think of ending reservation when India is a fair place" - and insisted that his party would take the quota limit beyond 50%.

"Yesterday someone misrepresented my statement that I am against reservation. But let me make it clear - I am not against reservation. We will take reservation beyond the limit of 50 per cent," he said during an interview at the National Press Club in the US.