Kharge slams BJP, asks why is ruling party pained if fugitives criticised

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday slammed the BJP over its charge that Rahul Gandhi insulted OBCs with his remark for which he has been convicted in a criminal defamation case, and said why is the ruling party pained if fugitives such as Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi are criticised.

Addressing a gathering at the day-long "Sankalp Satyagraha" of the Congress right outside Rajghat, Kharge also thanked all Opposition parties for standing with Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to save democracy.

"This is just one satyagraha but there will be several such satyagrahas throughout the country. We will give any sacrifice that is needed to save Constitution, democracy and freedom of speech," he said.

Kharge slammed the BJP for accusing Gandhi of insulting Other Backward Classes (OBCs) through his remark in 2019.

Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.

"They talk of OBC now, is Lalit Modi