Rahul Gandhi insulted motherland, shouldn't get single vote: Smriti Irani in Karnataka

Hubballi (Karnataka): Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks in the United Kingdom, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said the Wayanad MP defamed the nation on foreign soil.

Addressing the BJP's Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra at Hubli in poll-bound Karnataka, Irani said the Congress leader insulted his motherland and the people of this Assembly constituency won't give a single vote to his party.

"On one hand we have our PM and on the other is that person from the Gandhi family who was defeated by the people of Amethi. He defamed the nation on foreign soil. Today, the BJP is taking a pledge that the Congress, which insulted our motherland, will not get a single vote from this constituency," she said.

She added that the leaders, who bring infamy to their homeland on foreign soil, should be exposed and opposed. "The election represents a fight to uphold the country's honour in the eyes of the world. While we in the BJP believe see our country as our mother, some leaders in the Opposition are leaving no stone unturned to abuse and insult our motherland on foreign soil. We should oppose such people," said Irani.

Rahul Gandhi hit the headlines during his recent UK trip, claiming that India's democracy was "under attack" during a lecture at the prestigious Cambridge University.

"Everybody knows and it's been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space," Rahul said.

"The institutional framework which is required for a democratic Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy," he added.