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The Bharatiya Janata Party came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in the United States about the Sikh community, saying the Congress leader is trying to create a "dangerous narrative" by speaking on "sensitive issues" abroad.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here that Gandhi's remarks were "sinister" in nature as he tried to spread falsehood among the members of the Sikh community living abroad to "eke out a living" and do not have much connection with India.
With his remarks, the Congress leader has attacked the country, its legal system and electoral system, he said.
"I condemn in the strongest terms the statement he has made about Sikhs not being able to wear turbans and kadas," the BJP leader from the Sikh community said.
Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that happened during the Congress' rule, Puri said, "If there has been one time in our history when as a community we have felt anxiety, a sense of insecurity and existential threat, it has been the times when Rahul Gandhi's family has been in the seats of power."
"In 1984, a pogrom was carried out against the Sikh community. As many as 3,000 innocent people were killed. People were dragged out of their homes, tyres were put around them and burnt alive," he said.
That was the only time in history when Sikhs faced a problem for their turbans as they faced an existential threat after Rajiv Gandhi's statement that when a big tree falls, the earth shakes, Puri said.
"In the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, many of my friends shed their turbans and got clean shaven out of fear because they were attacked," he added.
Addressing a gathering of several hundred Indian Americans in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington DC, on Monday, Gandhi accused the RSS of considering some religions, languages and communities of being inferior to others and said the fight in India is about this and not about politics.
"First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics. That is superficial," Gandhi said as he asked one of the Sikh attendees in the front rows to give his name. "What is your name, brother with the turban," he asked.
"The fight is about whether a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or a kada in India. Or he, as a Sikh, is going to be able to go to a gurdwara. That's what the fight is about. And not just for him, for all religions," said Gandhi, who is on a four-day visit to the US, which began Saturday.
Hitting out at the Congress leader, Puri said Gandhi, of late, has been making statements on sensitive issues, which "involve our national identity, unity, the strength of our unity and diversity". "I think he is trying to set a new kind of narrative which I think is a dangerous narrative," he said.
"I think this is far more sinister because Rahul Gandhi was trying to spread a false narrative while speaking in front of those, who belong to my community and are trying to eke out a living in the US with hard work and honesty. Because they do not have much connection with the country (India)," he added.
Dismissing Gandhi's remarks, Puri said the Modi government has gone out of its way to address the issues concerning the Sikh community.
"I don't think Sikhs have felt safer and more honoured at any time in our history after 1947 as they do today," he said.
Puri also said, "In the last 10 years, every time Prime Minister Modi goes to a gurdwara, he wears a turban."
All outstanding demands of the Sikh community, including the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and Veer Bal Diwas, have been met "upfront", he said, adding, "The sentiment in the government is that even on the remaining issues, whether they are related to farmers or etc, we are happy to sit, talk and resolve them."
Puri also slammed Gandhi for his remark on the Lok Sabha polls, saying when the Congress leader mentioned his party's bank accounts being frozen, he should have also said why the accounts were frozen.
Asked if there was a conspiracy in Gandhi's remarks about Sikhs, Puri said, "I see a dangerous narrative-setting attempt here. This by itself shows limited or flawed understanding and a desire to create mischief."
"It could also be that he is appealing to groups which have a sense of alienation to come out and create other problems. Whether this is a larger conspiracy, we will find out," he said.
"One of the things that has been pointed out to me is that the language he uses and the language a fugitive from our law living in New York uses is remarkably similar. We will find out whether he has been meeting him or not," Puri added.
Asked if any complaint will be lodged against Gandhi or any move be initiated to remove him as the LoP, the minister said he is trying to dent the image of the country and in the process, he is spoiling his own image.
"I will not file any complaint personally," he said.
BJP leader R P Singh intervened and said he will file a complaint in court against Gandhi if he makes such statements in India, saying the Congress leader makes such remarks in foreign countries or in Parliament to protect himself from legal actions.
"But you can file a case against him even if he has said something outside the country," Puri pointed out. "You look into it and decide. This press conference is not the (platform) for decision-making," he told Singh.
On this, Singh said, "Then he is surely going to face it."