Rahul Gandhi's hate for PM is now hate for India: Smriti Irani

During a recent visit to London, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and there was a full-scale assault on the country's institutions.

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday launched a scathing attack at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the latter's remark during his UK visit and demanded an apology from him.

"He said during Bharat Jodo Yatra that all is well in India and changed his tone the moment he landed on foreign soil," she said.

"Rahul Gandhi's hatred for the PM is now hatred for the nation. He invoked foreign powers by visiting a country whose history has been to enslave India. While tearing down India's democratic systems, he expressed regret that why foreign forces do not come and attack India," Union Minister Smriti Irani said while addressing the media.

"I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, you said abroad that you do not have the right to speak at any university in the country. If so, in 2016, when the slogan 'Bharat tere tukde honge' was raised at a university in Delhi, you backed it, what was that?," she said.

"He defamed the nation on foreign soil. Rahul Gandhi disrespected the institutions like SC and EC. Is humiliating India a democracy? Is disrespecting the chairman of the House a democracy? India demands an apology from Rahul Gandhi, she further asked.

Stepping up her attack, Irani said "It's shameful that Rahul Gandhi, instead of coming to Parliament and apologising for his undemocratic rant against India, today, seeks to be absent from the Parliament."

"At the feat of India's colonial past, Rahul Gandhi lamented the 'lack of foreign intervention' in India's democracy to bring to a halt India's resilient growth story under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi," she added.

Notably, during a recent visit to the UK, the Wayanad MP had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and there was a full-scale assault on the country's institutions.