Rahul Gandhi using his constitutional position to protect family crimes: BJP

The BJP on Saturday accused Rahul Gandhi of misusing his constitutional position of the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha to “protect” his family's crimes.

The party made the allegations as part of its continued targeting of the Congress leader's defence of his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra, who has been charged by the ED with money laundering.

Speaking to reporters, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that the opposition INDIA bloc is beset with internal conflict and faces disintegration ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session beginning Monday.

Citing a Hindi song, Trivedi took a swipe at the opposition alliance, wondering how worse its future is going to be when its present is in such dire straits.

The Aam Aadmi Party has already announced that it is no longer in the alliance, while the CPI(M) took a "naive" dig at Gandhi following his attack on the Kerala government.

Noting that Gandhi addressed Vadra as his "brother-in-law" in an X post, accusing the government of a "witch hunt" against him, the BJP MP said it is clearly a family, and not a political issue, for the Congress leader.

Gandhi has come out to protect Vadra's properties collected through corruption, he alleged, noting that the Congress leader is himself on bail in a corruption case.

Trivedi wondered if Gandhi posted the message in his personal capacity or as the Leader of Opposition, and said, "He has misused his constitutional position to protect his family crimes."

He accused the Congress's "first family" of seeking power and money even if it means dividing society in the name of region or language.

"Why should the Congress's first family, which is neck-deep in corruption, level political allegations in a family matter?" Trivedi asked.

With Priyanka Gandhi targeting the ruling BJP in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting the son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in a corruption case, the BJP leader claimed that Gandhi family members are protecting the corrupt.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the government of launching a witch-hunt against Vadra after the ED filed a charge sheet against the businessman in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Haryana's Shikohpur.

Gandhi asserted that the truth shall eventually prevail and that his sister Priyanka and her family will withstand any kind of "persecution."

Trivedi also scorned Gandhi for his barb at the Narendra Modi government over its dealings with China.

"It is regretful that the one who travels abroad the most has no understanding of foreign policy," he said, adding that he needs to get the "circuit" of his mind checked for making a "circus" barb at the government's policy.

Tagging a media report on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calling on Chinese President Xi Jinping and apprising him of the recent development in India-China ties, Gandhi had on Tuesday said he was "running a full-blown circus aimed at destroying India's foreign policy."