A war of words erupted between the BJP and Congress on Monday after the saffron party castigated Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for “flying abroad” when India is mourning former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s demise.

BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that the Congress leader has ”exploited” Dr. Singh’s death for his “expedient politics” and has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year while India is mourning his demise.

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In a post on X, Malviya said, “While the country is mourning former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year. Rahul Gandhi politicised and exploited Dr. Singh’s death for his expedient politics but his contempt for him is unmissable. The Gandhis and the Congress hate the Sikhs. Never forget that Indira Gandhi desecrated the Darbar Sahib.”

Reacting to the BJP’s charge, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said in a post on X, “When will the Sanghis stop this ‘Take Diversion’ politics? The way Modi denied Dr. Saheb a place for cremation on the Yamuna banks and how his ministers cornered Dr. Saheb’s family is shameful. If Mr Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you? Get well in the New year .

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala posted on X, “While the country is mourning former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown abroad to bring in the New Year even as nation observes 7 days of mourning. Congress doesn’t care for Dr Manmohan Singh. They abused and insulted him during his lifetime. They continue to do so now. Yesterday nobody went to collect his ashes.. Congress even denied Bharat Ratna to Dr Manmohan Singh as per latest disclosures. This is their true face.”

He further said that the Congress leader ‘paryatan’ is nothing new.

“Rahul Gandhi has changed the meaning of LoP from Leader of Opposition to Leader of ‘paryatan’ and Leader of the party. At a time when the country is in grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi has left for ‘paryatan’ and party, as per media reports…Rahul Gandhi and ‘paryatan’ is nothing new. At a time when the 26/11 attack happened in Mumbai, he was partying all night. He is not concerned about the demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh” the BJP national spokesperson said while talking to the media.

Dr. Manmohan Singh was cremated with full state honours at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday. The mortal remains of Dr. Singh, the key architect of India’s economic liberalisation, was consigned to flames as per Sikh rituals, in the presence of his family members, friends, colleagues and dignitaries.

Dr. Singh, one of the most renowned economists, passed away at 9.51 pm at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national Capital on December 26 at the age of 92.