In what is being seen as a dig at his cousin, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, BJP leader Varun Gandhi, who on Thursday said he has declined an invitation to participate in a debate organised by the Oxford University on whether India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "is on the right path", today tweeted that subjecting India's choices and challenges to international scrutiny "is a dishonourable act" to him. India's polity regularly offers space for critique and constructive suggestion, he added.
"I have declined the invitation for a debate at the Oxford Union.
India's polity regularly offers us a space to critique & provide constructive suggestions to improve our policies.
Subjecting India's choices & challenges to international scrutiny, for me, is a dishonourable act," Varun Gandhi tweeted along with a newspaper article on his decision to reject the Ivy League college's invitation.
He has written to the Oxford University that he believes the chosen topic doesn't offer much scope for debate or dispute.
This comes amid the BJP's all-out attack on Rahul Gandhi over his comments on Indian democracy at the Cambridge University. The ruling party is demanding an apology from Mr Gandhi, and he has refused, leading to a logjam in the parliament.
Varun Gandhi, in his response to the university, has said India has been "on the right path for development and inclusiveness" which has been laid out by "governments of varied political affiliations over the past 7 decades since Independence".
As an elected representative, he said it was his job to study and evaluate policy initiatives and offer feedback "within Parliament and through other fora".
"However, such comment must be offered within India to Indian policymakers. I see no merit or integrity in vocalising internal challenges in an international forum," he added.
BJP ministers have slammed Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading lies and maligning India's image abroad. While Law minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that the Congress leader was speaking the language of "anti-India forces", BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has called for the formation of a special committee to look into Mr Gandhi's statements, which, he said, should help end Mr Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership.
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