Rahul must behave, respect constitutional values: BJP to Congress leader on SC's rebuke

New Delhi: BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday accused former Congress president Rahul Gandhi of being against constitutional values, as he criticised him over his remarks on the army during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Supreme Court's "rebuke" should serve as a serious warning to Gandhi.

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against Gandhi before a Lucknow court over his remarks on the army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The top court, however, censured the Congress leader, saying if he is a "true Indian," he would not say such a thing.

Reacting to the SC observation, Pradhan said, "Those who were going around the country with the Constitution in their hands are the biggest violators of it." He added, "If Congress leaders and their entire clan had even an ounce of respect for the Constitution, the kind of observation the Supreme Court made wouldn't have been necessary...They are the biggest violators of constitutional values. The court had to ask: Are you even an Indian?" he told PTI Videos inside the Parliament complex." Prasad asked Gandhi to behave with greater responsibility as a national leader.

"You are the leader of the Opposition. Show some maturity," he told PTI Videos.

"What bigger message can there be than the Supreme Court telling him that an Indian should not speak like this," he said.

Prasad said that Gandhi's remarks on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar were no different.

"Remember his remarks about Savarkar? The court had said such things should not be said about great freedom fighters. On Rafale, he said 'chowkidar chor hai' and the SC confirmed contempt was committed, and he then apologised. That's three times now. If he still won't learn, what can we do?" the former law minister said.