Rahul Gandhi willingly insulted backward castes, alleges BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday hit back at Rahul Gandhi moments after the Congress MP held a press conference over his disqualification.

"You have the right to criticise, not insult. Rahul Gandhi willingly insulted the backward castes", senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said at the press conference.

"In his press conference, Rahul Gandhi tried to make false statements & did not speak on the subject. Rahul Gandhi has been punished for his speech in 2019. Today he said that 'I speak thoughtfully' which means whatever Rahul Gandhi said in 2019, it was spoken thoughtfully", the BJP MP said.

"Rahul Gandhi lied again that he didn't say anything in London. In London, he said that democracy in India has become weak and European nations are not paying attention to it. Lying has become a nature of Rahul Gandhi", Prasad said.

"Rahul Gandhi had complained that his phone had Pegasus. But he did not go to get his phone 'checked' when asked by the Supreme Court, in case his phone really was marred by it. Why didn't he go? He actually was afraid", the BJP leader said.

This comes after Rahul Gandhi in his press conference said he does not care even if he is permanently disqualified from the Lok Sabha. "Please understand why I have been disqualified. I have been disqualified because PM Narendra Modi is scared of my next speech on Adani. I have seen it in his eyes," the former Wayanad MP had said.

On Friday, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad from the date of his conviction by a Surat court in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark.