Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a swipe at the Congress-led opposition in Lok Sabha amid protests over BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde’s remarks about Mahatma Gandhi.

In a sarcastic manner, the Prime Minister questioned the protesting members if this was all. “Bas, itna hi? Aur kuch?” he asked as he began his speech in Lok Sabha replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address on January 31.

This was in response to the opposition leaders chanting: “Mahatma Gandhi amar rahe (Long live Mahatma Gandhi)”.

Following PM Modi’s question, Congress leader replied: “Yeh to abhi trailer hai” (This is just a trailer).

To this, the Prime Minister shot back saying that “Gandhi may be a trailer for you but for us he is life itself”.

“Aapke liye Gandhi trailer ho sakte hain… humare liye Gandhi-ji zindagi hain,” he said.

The opposition led by Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had protested in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday over the remarks of BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde on Mahatma Gandhi and staged a walkout.

The opposition had also demanded an apology from the BJP for its leader’s remarks on the Father of the Nation.

At an event in Bengaluru, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada had claimed that the “entire freedom movement was staged with the consent and support of the British, and the independence movement led by Gandhi was a drama”.

“None of these so-called leaders were beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle,” he said.

He also termed Mahatma Gandhi’s hunger strikes and satyagraha a “drama”.

“People supporting Congress keep saying that India got independence because of the fast unto death and satyagraha. This is not true. The British did not leave the country because of satyagraha,” he said.

“Britishers gave independence out of frustration. My blood boils when I read history. Such people become Mahatma in our country,” Hegde said in his concluding statement.

Following this, the Congress slammed the BJP leader saying the Father of the Nation does not need a certificate from the “cadre of Britisher’s chamchas and spies”.

Amid the row, the BJP had censured its leader and asked Anantkumar Hegde to issue an unconditional apology over his controversial remarks.

Hegde has replied to the notice he was served by his party. The reply was sent to BJP president JP Nadda, who in turn has forwarded it to the BJP’s disciplinary committee to decide on further action.