'Crossed all limits': BJP, VHP slam Rahul Gandhi for not respecting LoP's post

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) As the controversy over Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's 'hug' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday came down heavily on the LoP, saying that the latter doesn't hold any respect for his position and has "crossed all limits" by "mocking" the Prime Minister. 

Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the country's foreign policy during the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention in Delhi on Thursday, suggesting that PM Modi's diplomacy is only associated with hugging the foreign leaders.

Reacting to LoP Gandhi's remark aimed at PM Modi, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that the people of this country "might be ashamed" of Rahul Gandhi's act.

"The post of the Leader of the Opposition has been held by distinguished leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia, Acharya Kripalani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandrashekhar, and L.K. Advani. Yet Rahul Gandhi used language that was unbecoming of the office. His conduct appeared more like theatrics than serious politics," he told IANS.

Mentioning that Rahul Gandhi's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi served as Prime Ministers of the country, Giriraj Singh said: "Still if he (LoP Gandhi) could not understand foreign policy, then he would not be able to do so in this lifetime."

The Union Minister also remarked that Rahul Gandhi's foreign policy is to "abuse the nation according to the agenda of George Soros" while asserting that the Indian diaspora abroad respects PM Modi due to his foreign policy.

Echoing similar view, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said: "After having completely disrupted the Parliament session through their unruly behaviour; the uncivilised, unbecoming, and reprehensible language that Rahul Gandhi used from the official platform of the Congress party indicates that perhaps out of deep frustration, he is crossing all limits and boundaries."

Taking the criticism further, VHP National spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that the "country could never have imagined" that the party which ruled India for the longest time "would fall so low".

"Making such nonsensical remarks about the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), and continuously shredding the dignity of words and speech, is utterly shameful and reflects the lowest level of this country's politics," he told IANS.

BJP leader Rohan Gupta also condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks, saying: "The Leader of the Opposition is a Constitutional post, and I do not think such comments are befitting of a person holding this position. The kind of personal remarks and derogatory language being used today have no place in politics. There should be no such level of discourse in political life.''