Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said there was nothing more condemnable and intolerable than one in constitutional position becoming part of enemies of the nation, in an apparent attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks made in the United States.
Dhankhar's assertion came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party hit out at Gandhi over his meeting with US lawmaker Ilhan Omar and others during his visit to the country, alleging that the Congress leader is indulging in "dangerous and mischievous" activities by reaching out to people abroad who are known for their anti-india stand.
Addressing participants of the third batch of Rajya Sabha Internship Programme in New Delhi, Dhankhar, also the chairperson of the upper house, said he was pained and disturbed that some people in position have no idea of national interest.
The vice president did not name anyone in his address.
He said, "If we are true Indians, we will never side with the enemies of the nation."
The BJP has attacked Gandhi over his remarks on reservation and religious minorities in India and China.
"I am pained and disturbed that some people in position have just no idea of Bharat. They have no idea of our Constitution, they have no idea of our national interest... I am sure your heart must be bleeding at what you see," the vice president said.
He said people have given supreme sacrifice in getting freedom. "Mothers have lost their sons, wives have lost their husbands. We can't ridicule our nationalism," he said.
Dhankhar said every Indian outside the country has to be an ambassador of the nation. "How painful that one who holds a constitutional position is doing just the reverse of it. Nothing can be more condemnable, despicable and intolerable than that you become part of enemies of the nation," he said.
Dhankhar was of the view that such people do not understand the value of freedom as also that the country has civilisational depth of 5,000 years.
The vice president asserted that the Constitution is sacred and was structured over three years of painstaking work by the founding fathers of the document.
He said the members of the Constituent Assembly met without disruption, disturbance, sloganeering and any posters being raised.
"And now, some people want to divide our nation. This is ignorance in extremity," he said.
In a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington on Tuesday, Gandhi slammed the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the conflict with China, telling reporters that it is a disaster that 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory is occupied by troops from the neighbouring country.
But the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha indicated that the Congress is in broad agreement with the BJP-led government on other major foreign policy issues, including relations with the US, no talks with Pakistan unless terrorism ends and concerns over extremist elements in Bangladesh.
Answering a question about China, Gandhi said, "Well, if you call having Chinese troops in 4,000 square kilometres of our territory handling something well, then maybe. We've got Chinese troops occupying land the size of Delhi in Ladakh. I think that's a disaster. Media doesn't like to write about it."
