NEW DELHI: The BJP should immediately arrest those who have defamed India at the international level instead of enacting a 'drama of action', the Congress said on Monday, hitting out at the ruling party for its functionaries remarks against Prophet Mohammad.
Several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram, spoke out on the issue as did the party on its Twitter handle On Sunday, the BJP suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled the party's Delhi unit media head Naveen Jindal for their controversial remarks following widespread anger in several Gulf countries.
Asking why those responsible for putting out offensive comments that led to global outrage had not been arrested yet, the Congress said it was unacceptable for the nation to apologise for such mistakes.
"Divided internally, India becomes weak externally. BJP's shameful bigotry has not only isolated us, but also damaged India's standing globally," Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter.
Congress charged the BJP's "anti-social elements" with thrusting the nation into the fire of hatred.
"The BJP might show itself making amends by suspending its spokespersons from the party but who are they fooling? For something as serious as defaming the country on a global platform, why are they not making any arrests?" the Congress tweeted on the party handle, using the hashtag "#BJP_Defames_India".
"Such anti-social elements of the BJP should be arrested immediately," Congress demanded.
The opposition party also said the country will not apologise for the mistakes of the BJP, but the ruling party president should do so.
"Instead of doing a drama of action against anti-social elements in the party who have defamed India at the international level, it should immediately arrest them," Congress said.
"With their hate-mongering propagandist politics, BJP hasn't just shamed the country but put the nation which once stood for peace and harmony on trial for the whole world to see," it alleged.
The BJP, it went on to say, had gone so far in its deceitfulness, arrogance, and pride that it has become blind in its own darkness.
"The consequences of the BJP's actions are its own to pay, not the nation's," the Congress added in the series of posts.
Party leader P Chidambaram said it was not domestic criticism but an international backlash that had pushed the BJP to take action against its functionaries for their offensive remarks against the Prophet.
"Mrs Nupur Sharma and Mr Naveen Kumar were not the original creators of the Islamophobia. Remember, they were trying to more loyal than the king," the former Union minister tweeted.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala added that the BJP leadership is pushing the country into the dark age of communal polarisation to serve its narrow political interests and asked.
"What is the reason that FIR was not registered for inciting religious sentiments by expelling BJP leaders from the party," he asked.
He said the country also wants to know who gave the ruling BJP the right to attack the image of the country to fulfill its political interests.
He alleged that the BJP insults India's age-old tradition of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam' by spreading religious polarization and hatred, and also pretends to respect all religions.
"This double-speak is unbelievable. The truth is that the BJP is hurting the country's honor with its actions and is removing its spokesperson under the pressure of foreign countries to shed embarrassment."
"But when will the Constitution be enforced? When will all citizens be seen equally? When will you enforce the rule of law? The country wants to know," Surjewala said.
He referred to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu's visit to Qatar and asked why a foreign country cancelled the banquet in his honour.
"What is the reason that advisories are being issued by many countries to our ambassadors who are calling BJP spokespersons 'fringe elements'," he added.
His party colleague Jairam Ramesh said, "Our dapper External Affairs minister got his spokesman to dismiss a US Government report on religious minorities in India as 'vote-bank politics in international relations'. US allies in Gulf are giving a reply."
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the BJP commits a mistake and the country has to face the repercussions.
"The prime minister is reminded by Qatar and Kuwait about his 'Raj Dharma'. Nothing can be more shameful than this," he said.
Khera said India should not apologise as it is not the country's mistake but that of the BJP.