New Delhi: The BJP today hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his attack on the RSS, which the Congress vice president said did not accept different ideologies unlike his party, calling him a "machine of lies" and one who has become an "expert" in making baseless statements.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the Congress vice president to make his supporters aware of his family history of Emergency and scams before commenting on the BJP's ties with the Sangh.
Another BJP leader and party secretary Shrikant Sharma termed Mr Gandhi as "immature", saying the Congress' thought process was limited to one family while the BJP believed in 'sabka saath sabka vikas'. The RSS would only emerge stronger with such attacks, he said.
"He has turned into a machine of lies as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity is growing even among loyal Congress supporters," Mr Sharma said, referring to a Pew research survey.
"Sangh has emerged stronger whenever it has been attacked in the past by the Rahulji's seniors in Congress. Rahul is anyway immature in politics," he said.
Mr Prasad also took on Congress president Sonia Gandhi for "keeping mum" on various scams and said Mr Gandhi and his mother should explain their silence while their party had been reduced to merely 44 seats in the Lok Sabha.
"When the country's image was taking a beating during the 10 years of Congress rule due to the coal scam, spectrum scam, you (Rahul) and your mother (Sonia) kept mum. We are cleaning the mess now. In any case Rahul has earned expertise in making baseless and hollow remarks," Mr Prasad said.
Mr Prasad also questioned Mr Gandhi's contention that different voices debate ideas and work together in the Congress. "When Indira Gandhi imposed emergency did anyone say anything? Did anyone speak during all the scams or when Congress was routed," he said.
At a party meet in Mathura, Mr Gandhi had attacked the Modi government and criticised the RSS. "The Congress party is not like the RSS which guides the government. Every member's voice is heard here unlike what happens under (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat," Mr Gandhi had said.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked the Congress vice president to make his supporters aware of his family history of Emergency and scams before commenting on the BJP's ties with the Sangh.
Another BJP leader and party secretary Shrikant Sharma termed Mr Gandhi as "immature", saying the Congress' thought process was limited to one family while the BJP believed in 'sabka saath sabka vikas'. The RSS would only emerge stronger with such attacks, he said.
"Sangh has emerged stronger whenever it has been attacked in the past by the Rahulji's seniors in Congress. Rahul is anyway immature in politics," he said.
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"When the country's image was taking a beating during the 10 years of Congress rule due to the coal scam, spectrum scam, you (Rahul) and your mother (Sonia) kept mum. We are cleaning the mess now. In any case Rahul has earned expertise in making baseless and hollow remarks," Mr Prasad said.
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At a party meet in Mathura, Mr Gandhi had attacked the Modi government and criticised the RSS. "The Congress party is not like the RSS which guides the government. Every member's voice is heard here unlike what happens under (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat," Mr Gandhi had said.
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