New Delhi Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday hit out at the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Sikh community and reservations while terming his comments as "misleading, baseless" and "extremely shameful."
Taking a jibe at Rahul, the Defence Minister said it seems like while running 'Mohabbat Ki Dukaan (shop of love), the Congress leader has opened 'Jhooth Ki Dukaan' (shop of lies).
"The kind of misleading, baseless and factless things that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is saying during his foreign tour are extremely shameful and hurt the dignity of India. He has said that the Sikh community in India is not allowed to wear turbans in Gurdwaras, they are being prevented from behaving according to their religion. This is completely baseless and far from the truth," Singh posted on X.
He further said that the entire country recognises and respects the great role played by the Sikh community in protecting the culture of India.
"It is not befitting for an opposition leader to make such false statements about them," he added.
He further slammed Rahul Gandhi for his claims that the NDA government wants to abolish reservation and said that these are "baseless" claims.
"Rahulji's claim that the NDA government wants to abolish reservation is also completely baseless.
Our Prime Minister has strengthened the reservation system for the welfare and development of Dalits, backward classes and tribals. Similarly, the kind of claims he has made on the soil of America regarding the India-China border dispute are also misleading and beyond facts. It seems that while running the shop of love, Rahulji has opened a shop of lies. Rahulji should refrain from making such false statements," he added.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also slammed Rahul Gandhi and said that it is not right to "defame" India abroad.
He further said that minorities from all neighbouring countries come to India, whenever the situation gets tense, adding that there is no safer place for minorities in the world, than India.
"There was an attack on the Indian democracy in 1975, but the people of the country condemned it. After this, no one has been able to attack the Indian parliamentary democracy. Emergency will never return...It is not right to defame India abroad. As far as our land is concerned, after Modi ji has come to power, no one has been able to capture even an inch of our land...In no other place in the world, minorities are as safe as they are in India," Rijiju told reporters on Wednesday.
"If anything wrong happens in our neighbouring countries, then the minorities from there come to India as it is safe for them here...No matter how much they try to defame India abroad, they will not be successful...It is for everyone to see who are the political leaders in our country who are often seen moving around with anti-India elements abroad and then they spell our venom against India," he added.
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the US on 'reservations.'
Taking to microblogging site X, Amit Shah wrote, "Standing with forces that conspire to divide the country and making anti-national statements have become a habit for Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. Whether it is supporting the JKNC's anti-national and anti-reservation agenda in J&K or making anti-India statements on foreign platforms, Rahul Gandhi has always threatened the nation's security and hurt sentiments."
On Monday, Rahul Gandhi, during an interaction in the United States, said that the Congress party will think of scrapping reservations when India becomes a "fair place," which it is not currently.
"There's an elephant in the room. When we talk about the capture of institutions, businesses, and the media, the elephant in the room is that 90 per cent of India--OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis--aren't even part of the game. That's really the elephant in the room," Rahul Gandhi said.
"The fact of the matter is they are not getting participation. The problem is 90 per cent of India is not able to play...We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place and India is not a fair place. Now, that creates a problem. There are people from the upper caste who say 'What have we done wrong, why are we being punished'" he further said in his address.
The Lok Sabha LoP also said that today, the fight in India is about whether a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India and would be able to visit a Gurdwara.
"First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. Fight is not about politics. It is superficial. What is your name? The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India. Or he as a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a kada in India. Or a Sikh is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That's what the fight is about and not just for him, for all religions," he said