New Delhi, Mar 23 (IANS): The BJP slammed Rahul Gandhi over his statement that he made after his conviction by a Gujarat court in a 2019 defamation case, and said that he had insulted an entire community and not just one surname.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad stated, "Rahul Gandhi said that I believe in truth and non-violence. Does he believe in truth and non-violence?.... to insult people? To make casteist abuses... to insult the country?"

Prasad also accused Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge of contempt of court.

Addressing the media at the BJP national headquarters, Prasad said, "If Rahul Gandhi has the right to insult and abuse people with his stubbornness, then the people who are being abused also have the right to file a defamation case."

He further said, "You will abuse, you will insult the Army of the country, you will make fun of the martyrdom of the martyrs of the country, you will insult the patriotism and national power of the country, you will insult the voters of the country and say that I am true and I believe in non-violence, how will this work?"

Reacting to the statement of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Prasad said that is not a responsible statement expected from the Congress President. "... They don't trust the court either. Does the Congress party want to keep the judiciary in its pocket as well?"

The BJP leader said that a court in Surat has sentenced Rahul Gandhi for two years in a defamation case. "Congress party is saying a lot on this, but it is not telling what Rahul Gandhi had said?

"Rahul Gandhi had said in the 2019 election rally in Karnataka that why all thieves have Modi surname?"

The BJP leader said that even in the Rafale case, Rahul Gandhi had questioned the court's decision and then apologised in court. He said that BJP respects criticism but Rahul Gandhi does not criticize, he defames the country, the people of the country and the democracy of the country.

Prasad told the media that Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had also filed a case against Rahul Gandhi in the Patna court.