The BJP on Friday accused the Congress of backtracking on its 'rajdharma' as it said opposition leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, had sought citizenship for persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries but the Congress is now inciting people against the CAA.
BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back at the Congress a day after its delegation led by party president Sonia Gandhi urged President Ram Nath Kovind to seek Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation for "abdication of duty" during the communal violence in northeast Delhi.
The opposition party also asked Kovind to push the Modi government to follow its 'rajdharma'.
Prasad alleged that the communal violence was an outcome of "instigation" and provocative remarks made by opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP office here, Prasad said Shah was very proactive from the very first day of the violence to stop it.
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Asked about the controversial remarks made by BJP leaders like Kapil Mishra and Pravesh Verma, he said the party doesn't approve of their statements.
Hitting out at Sonia Gandhi, he said, "Sonia Gandhi ji, please don't preach us 'rajdharma'. Your record is full of its violation and twists and turns for plain and simple vote bank politics."
"The Congress should look at its face in the mirror of 'rajdharma'," Prasad said.
The BJP leader stated that former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had speeded up citizenship for refugees from Uganda and Sri Lanka respectively.
Prasad noted that Manmohan Singh as the Leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha had asked the then deputy prime minister L K Advani to grant citizenship to persecuted minority refugees from neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The then Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who is currently at the helm in the state as well, had also sought it, the law minister said.
"Sonia ji tell us what kind of 'rajdharma' is this that everyone has backtracked? What we have done, your government could not do in 10 years... If the Congress does something, it is good. But if we do the same thing, they provoke the people. What type of 'rajdharma' is this?" Prasad asked.
Accusing the Congress of "pure politicking" of the sensitive issue of the Delhi violence, he said it was time for all to talk of collectively of the restoration of peace, amity and harmony.
For the Congress, Prasad claimed, family interest comes first followed by party interest and only then it sometimes think of national interest.
Referring to Sonia Gandhi's "fight to the finish" remark at a rally at the Ramlila Maidan here last year, Prasad asked whether such remarks do not constitute provocation and alleged that the Congress chief remained silent when youngsters were encouraged at Shaheen Bagh to become violent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Attacking Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, he said she also made provocative statements as the opposition party is frustrated by its defeat.
Prasad alleged that the Congress could stoop to any level for "vote-bank" politics and added that it should act responsibly for maintaining peace and harmony in the country.
Asked about concerns expressed by BJP allies, including the Shiromani Akali Dal, over the violence in Delhi, Prasad said if they have any doubt, it will be addressed.
Without naming anyone, the BJP leader also took a swipe at a section of journalists over their apparently objectionable tweets on the violence in the national capital and said these will be debated later.
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