JP Nadda has succeeded Amit Shah as the president of Bharatiya Janata Party
BJP leaders on Saturday reacted strongly to rumours about Home Minister Amit Shah's health, with party president JP Nadda terming these as "inhuman" comments which are "extremely condemnable".
Several leaders of the ruling party took to Twitter to express their anguish at the rumours on social media after Mr Shah put out a statement to assert that he was "totally healthy" and rejected speculation of his ill-health.
They also wished Mr Shah, Mr Nadda's predecessor as party president, a long and healthy life.
BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said spreading such rumours could be a "political ploy" of those who are rattled by Mr Shah's working style and decisions.
Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain claimed that people behind them are "enemies of the nation".
"Making inhuman comments about the health of Home Minister Amit Shah is extremely condemnable. Spreading such misleading remarks about anyone's health shows the mindset of people doing so. I strongly condemn it and pray to God to grant them good sense," Mr Nadda said in a tweet.
Senior party leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the comments about Shah's health shows the "distorted mindset" of people making them.
Another Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Amit Shah Ji you are safe and sound and will remain so because you have to serve Maa Bharati with courage and conviction for a long time."
Mr Hussain tweeted, "It's really shameful how a handful of people are spreading rumours about the health of India's Home Minister Amit Shah. These people are enemies of the nation who dislike leaders devoted to the motherland."