Senior BJP leaders on Monday attacked Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the Modi Government during his speeches in the UK, alleging that the Congress leader with his comments has invited intervention of foreign countries in India’s internal affairs.

The BJP leaders dubbed Rahul’s criticism of the government on foreign soil as an act of “betrayal of Bharat” in the 75th year of the country’s Independence.

Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said it appeared that he (Rahul) has taken a contract to defame India abroad. Speaking to the media this morning, Thakur said, “Be it among his foreign friends, agencies or foreign land, he’s leaving no stone unturned to defame India. To hide his failures, he has taken a contract to defame India from foreign land in a planned manner.”

The minister said, “His language, thoughts and working style are suspicious. He has done it again and again…when jawans were martyred, he said, a few people were killed in a car bomb explosion.”

“Rahul Gandhi has become a storm of controversies,” he tweeted.

Other BJP leaders also reacted sharply to Gandhi’s remarks on the Modi Government in the UK.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said Rahul Gandhi has crossed all limits in his hatred for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. “Rahul Gandhi was a serial offender and this time he has crossed all limits while allowing his hatred for one person and party to grow into hatred for India,” he said.

Poonawalla labelled the senior Congress leader as a “constant cynic and purveyor of propaganda”, and asked if Gandhi’s remarks were not an assault on India’s sovereignty and an insult to its citizens.

“If there are issues, we solve our own matters internally, but how can Rahul seek the intervention of a foreign nation? What action is he seeking on India? Do we complain about our internal affairs to a neighbour? Today, Rahul has emulated Mani Shankar Aiyyar who sought Pakistan’s help to dislodge PM Modi from power once,” he said.

“This was an act of betrayal of Bharat and that too in the 75th Year of Independence when India celebrates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav you have an Indian MP who goes to Britain and seeks the intervention of a former colonial master! Ironically, he said that a person of Indian origin was leading Britain but here Rahul Gandhi wants foreign intervention!” Poonawalla added.

Slamming Rahul Gandhi over his address at Cambridge, BJP MP Vivek Thakur accused him of being an “agenda carrier” of another country.

He said he is “seriously considering” bringing a Privilege Motion (against Rahul Gandhi) in the upcoming budget session of Parliament.

The reaction of BJP leaders came after Rahul Gandhi in the UK said, “Why Europe and the US – the defenders of democracies – were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?”

Meanwhile, lashing out at the Opposition parties for writing a letter to the prime minister about misuse of the Central agencies, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that PM Modi’s thoughts and his works are only for the welfare of the countrymen.