Tearing into the Congress after its president Mallikarjun Kharge dubbed the BJP a "party of terrorists", leaders from the ruling party at the Centre accused it of making insulting the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi a habit and said its true character has been revealed.
Mr Kharge sparked a row on Saturday when he took umbrage at remarks by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and PM Modi that his party was run by "urban Naxals" - a term used by the BJP and others on the right to refer to people that, they claim, want to weaken India.
Hitting out, the Congress president said the BJP is a party of terrorists that lynches and assaults people and commits atrocities against tribals and Dalits.
"They were quiet for some time and have started speaking out again after getting some life (following the BJP's Haryana victory). They call intellectuals and progressive people 'urban Naxals', they call the Congress urban Naxals. The BJP itself is a party of terrorists. They lynch and assault people, urinate in the mouths of members of the Scheduled Castes, and rape tribals. They (the BJP leadership) support those who commit these acts, and then they blame others," Mr Kharge claimed.
"PM Modi has no right to say this. Wherever his government is in power, atrocities are committed against people from the Scheduled Castes, especially tribals. Then he talks about injustice against these people. Are we in power? It is his government, he can control this", he added.
Leading the charge against Mr Kharge's remark, BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Congress is the "most anti-Dalit party".
"'Congress ki pehchaan, janta ka apmaan' (insulting people is the Congress' identity). Crores of people have voted for the BJP in 2014, 2019 and now in 2024. This (the 'party of terrorists' remark) is an insult to the people's wisdom but the Congress has made it a habit. They put 'parivar tantra' (family system) about everything else. For their Haryana defeat, they have blamed EVMs, the Election Commission and then the people. They have called the public 'rakshasi' (demonic) - senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala has said this," Mr Poonawalla said.
"Now they are saying that the people have elected terrorists. They have always used this kind of language abusing PM Modi and the Other Backward Classes... now they are abusing people. This shows the character and the DNA of Congress. And the Congress is talking about Dalits... what have they done with Kumari Selja in Haryana? They are looting funds meant for Dalits in Karnataka. The Congress is the most anti-Dalit party," he added.
'Look Within'
Manoj Tiwari, BJP MP from Northeast Delhi, Manoj Tiwari, said the PM Modi-led government is the Congress' biggest enemy and his party has zero tolerance for terrorism.
"If there is any government that has zero tolerance for terrorism and corruption, it is the BJP. Today, they (the Congress) must ask themselves why there are no terror attacks in Mumbai, where the stone pelters of Kashmir have vanished and why no bomb blast takes place under the Modi government. There were regular incidents under the Congress-led UPA governments, but that is no longer the case," he added.
Responding to a question on Mr Kharge's comments, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said the Congress has been supporting terrorists.
(With inputs from agencies)
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