Expel Rahul Gandhi from Congress over China remarks, demands BJP

New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Rahul Gandhi should be expelled from the Congress for saying that Chinese soldiers are "beating up jawans in Arunachal Pradesh". The ruling party condemned the Congress leader's remark and said it "belittle" India and break the morale of the Army.

Bhatia said: "If Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is not "remote-controlled", he should expel Gandhi from the party." He added that not taking action against Rahul Gandhi will show that his statement is reflective of Congress' mindset. Further speaking about the opposition party, he alleged that Congress has now become "less of a political party and more of a den of anti-India activities."

He added that it was the Indian soldiers who beat up the Chinese and chased them away. "Every Indian city is proud of them," reported The Indian Express. The BJP leader also compared Rahul to Jaichand, the king of Kannauj who is a traitor as per some historical accounts.

"It is no longer the India of 1962 as its brave soldiers also have a strong political leadership under Modi. Not even an inch of Indian territory was captured by anyone in the last eight years," he added.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that China is preparing for war and the Centre is "hiding and ignoring" the transgressions along the border. "They are doing full preparation by Ladakh and Arunachal, it is a full offensive preparation. The government of India is sleeping. It does not want to hear this, but they are preparing not for an incursion, but for war. If anyone understands this – you look at the pattern of their weapons and what they are doing, they are preparing for war. Our government hides this and is unable to accept this." He added that China has already taken 2,000 sq km of India and killed 20 Indian jawans.

Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju said Rahul Gandhi has become a "huge embarrassment for the country" and a "problem for Congress." He claimed Rahul is insulting the Indian Army and damaging the country's image. BJP President JP Nadda responded by saying: "Rahul Gandhi's statement works to demoralise our Army; no matter how much it is condemned, it is less. The Indian army is a symbol of bravery and valour. We know that the Communist Party of China had signed an MoU with the Congress party."