BJP workers burn Rahul Gandhi's effigy over his 'hurtful' remarks on Hindus

BJP workers in Prayagaraj held a protest against Rahul Gandhi on Monday over his remarks that the leaders of the ruling party are not Hindus as they engage in "violence and hate" round the clock.

In the UP region, scores of the BJP workers burnt the effigy of the Rabereli MP and raised 'murdabaad' slogans.

They also sought an apology, saying that the Congress lawmaker had insulted the Hindu community with his speech in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, Gandhi's remarks drawing massive protests from the treasury benches in the Parliament, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Congress leader of calling the entire Hindu community violent.

Gandhi, however, hit back at Modi, saying he was speaking about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that neither the ruling party nor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) nor Modi represents the entire Hindu society.

Besides Modi, who intervened twice, at least five cabinet ministers also interjected during Gandhi's speech that lasted for about an hour and 40 minutes, with Home Minister Amit Shah demanding his apology for painting the Hindu community as violent.

"It is not just one religion that talks about courage. In fact, all our religions talk about courage," Gandhi said in his debut speech as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha that was watched by his mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the visitors' gallery.

The Congress leader was speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the president's address to a joint sitting of Parliament.

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