Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Sikh community and reservations in the US, saying his statements are “misleading, baseless and extremely shameful.”

It seems that while running ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan (shop of love), the Congress leader has opened ‘Jhooth Ki Dukaan’ (shop of lies), he said in a social media post on X.

“The kind of misleading, baseless and factless things that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is saying during his foreign tour are extremely shameful and hurt the dignity of India. He has said that the Sikh community in India is not allowed to wear turbans in Gurdwaras, they are being prevented from behaving according to their religion. This is completely baseless and far from the truth,” the senior minister said.

He said the entire country recognises and respects the great role played by the Sikh community in protecting the culture of India. “It is not befitting for an Opposition leader to make such false statements about them,” he added.

He also slammed Mr Gandhi for his claims that the NDA government wants to abolish reservation and said that these are “baseless” claims.

“Rahulji’s claim that the NDA government wants to abolish reservation is also completely baseless. Our Prime Minister has strengthened the reservation system for the welfare and development of Dalits, backward classes and tribals. Similarly, the kind of claims he has made on the soil of America regarding the India-China border dispute are also misleading and beyond facts. It seems that while running the shop of love, Rahulji has opened a shop of lies. Rahulji should refrain from making such false statements,” he added.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also hit out at Mr Gandhi and said that it is not proper to “defame” the country abroad.

He said the minorities from all neighbouring countries come to India, whenever the situation gets tense, adding that there is no safer place for minorities in the world, than India.

“There was an attack on Indian democracy in 1975, but the people of the country condemned it. After this, no one has been able to attack the Indian parliamentary democracy. Emergency will never return…It is not right to defame India abroad. As far as our land is concerned, after Modi ji has come to power, no one has been able to capture even an inch of our land…In no other place in the world, minorities are as safe as they are in India,” Mr Rijiju said.