'Cheap politics': Congress slams BJP for calling Rahul Gandhi 'New age Mir Jafar'

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) A fresh political controversy erupted after BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya called Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi a "new age Mir Jafar", in response to his recent criticism of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, drawing sharp condemnation from senior Congress leaders, who accused the BJP of indulging in “cheap politics.” 

The spat began after Gandhi questioned Jaishankar’s silence over the number of Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft lost during Operation Sindoor. Reacting to this, Malviya, in a post on X, called the Congress leader a "new age Mir Jafar", a historical reference to the betrayal by the Bengal nobleman in the late 18th century, that laid the foundation for British colonial rule.

Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Tariq Anwar condemned the BJP’s repeated attempts to silence dissenting voices.

“This is nothing new. They always resort to sarcasm and slander when the Opposition raises questions,” Anwar said.

"Since coming to power in 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP has had a mindset that no one should question them. When someone does, they brand them ‘anti-national.’ Intellectuals who question the government are slapped with charges, even treason, and sometimes jailed. Yet when BJP leaders make derogatory remarks against the Army or national institutions, no action is taken."

Another Congress MP, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, said the BJP's comments were deeply disrespectful and historically ignorant.

"The Congress party played a leading role in India’s freedom struggle," he said.

"Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and his family has made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. From Motilal Nehru to Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, their contributions are etched in history. On the other hand, what role did the BJP and RSS play during the freedom movement? Everyone knows. This kind of language is not only inaccurate, but it also reflects poorly on political discourse. It is cheap politics, and completely unacceptable," he told IANS.

Meanwhile, the political row intensified after Malviya shared a provocative cartoon on social media, depicting Rahul Gandhi standing on Pakistan’s shoulders, questioning the Indian Air Force about its fighter jet losses. The caption suggested Pakistan was encouraging Gandhi, and he wasd echoing enemy narratives. The post sparked outrage within Congress ranks, with many accusing the BJP of branding political opponents as traitors for asking legitimate questions.