Prasad hits out at Tharoor over Shiv Linga remarks

The party, seeking a response from Gandhi, said he should apologise to Hindus, if he does not support the statements made by his party MP Tharoor.

The BJP's reaction came a day after Tharoor reportedly claimed an unnamed RSS source had told a journalist that Prime Minister Modi was like a scorpion sitting on a Shiv Linga who cannot be removed by hand or hit with a chappal (slipper).

"The Congress claims to represent the heritage of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Today, under the presidentship of Rahul Gandhi it has been reduced to hurling abuses and the worst form of civil discourse," BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here.

He said while he would not like to comment on Tharoor's remarks "against whom a charge sheet has been filed in a murder case", but he would like to know where Rahul Gandhi, who claims to be a Shiv Bhakt, stands on the issue.

"Gandhi claims to be a Shiv Bhakt now he should make it clear whether he supports Tharoor's remarks which are an insult to Lord Shiva. If he does not support the remarks he should apologise to Hindus," Prasad said.

"The whole nation is watching ... while Rahul Gandhi who claims himself to be a Shiv Bhakt, one of his small leader has almost abused the sanctity of Shiv Linga and Lord Mahadev by referring to chappal attack through named sources. Please reply to this very horrific denunciation of Lord Mahadev," he told reporters.

Tharoor had made these remarks Saturday while speaking at the Bengaluru Literature Festival on his recently launched book "The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi And His India".