New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS): The Congress and some other opposition parties protested in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday over the remarks of BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde on Mahatma Gandhi and staged a walkout.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi accused Congress of being fake followers of Gandhi.

Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that protests were being held all over the country against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in a peaceful manner on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi.

He said "abuse" was being hurled at Mahatma Gandhi, who is worshipped all over the world.

"They are criticizing the worshipper of Lord Ram. He is like a father to the whole world," Chowdhury said.

Joshi said the BJP leaders took out marches to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

"They are unnecessarily making it an issue," he said.

The Minister said the concerned member had conveyed that he had said "nothing like that" and had been told to express regret.

"BJP people are the real followers of Mahatma Gandhi. These people are fake followers of Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Chowdhury said they had not expected such remarks from Joshi about party leaders.

Chowdhury said they were walking out as the government was "defending" the remarks of Hegde.