Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks in the United Kingdom, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said the Wayanad MP defamed the nation on foreign soil.

Addressing the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra at Hubli in poll-bound Karnataka, Irani said the Congress leader insulted his motherland and the people of this Assembly constituency won’t give a single vote to his party. “On one hand we have our PM and on the other is that person from the Gandhi family who was defeated by the people of Amethi. He defamed the nation on foreign soil. Today, the BJP is taking a pledge that the Congress, which insulted our motherland, will not get a single vote from this constituency,” she said.

She added that the leaders, who bring infamy to their homeland on foreign soil, should be exposed and opposed.

“The election represents a fight to uphold the country’s honour in the eyes of the world. While we in the BJP believe see our country as our mother, some leaders in the Opposition are leaving no stone unturned to abuse and insult our motherland on foreign soil. We should oppose such people,” said Irani.

Rahul Gandhi hit the headlines during his recent UK trip, claiming that India’s democracy was “under attack” during a lecture at the prestigious Cambridge University.

“Everybody knows and it’s been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space,” Rahul said.

“The institutional framework which is required for a democratic Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy,” he added.

The remarks by the Congress MP gave fresh ammunition to have a go at him in the ongoing second part of the Budget session of Parliament.

The saffron party has been disrupting sessions in both Houses of Parliament demanding that Rahul tender an apology over his remark.

Hitting out at Rahul over his remark, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference in Delhi that the Congress leader was misleading the country and must apologise for his disrespectful remarks about India.

Prasad said that Rahul Gandhi has a habit of “criticising” and “demeaning” Indian democracy.

“Rahul has made it a habit to defame Indian democracy, criticise it and demean it. He has insulted Indian democracy and must apologise for his remarks,” Prasad said.

“How long will Rahul Gandhi continue to mislead the country and our 140 crore people?” the BJP leader said.

“Rahul Gandhi has not expressed any regret about what he had said. BJP keeps its sound stand that he must apologise. If Congress doesn’t get votes, it’s because of its inability & misdeeds. It doesn’t give their party leaders the right to shout against India and disrespect India,” Prasad said further.