Bajrang Dal, VHP vandalise Ahmedabad Congress office

Hours after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi delivered a fiery speech in Parliament critiquing the BJP's claim to speak for the Hindus of India, Bajrang Dal activists attacked and vandalised the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, the Gujarat Congress office in Ahmedabad, on Monday night, 1 July.

According to the Gujarat Congress, individuals associated with the BJP, Bajrang Dal and VHP hurled stones at the office in protest against Gandhi's comments in his parliamentary speech.

The right-wing activists also defaced posters and photos of Rahul Gandhi with black ink, and allegedly beat up the security guard at the office, as well as manhandling his wife and daughter, who were present on the premises.

In his speech, Gandhi had accused the BJP of perpetuating violence and hatred in the name of Hindus.

"Those who [BJP] call themselves Hindus are engaged in violence 24 hours and spreading hatred. They are not true Hindus," said Rahul Gandhi. PM Narendra Modi, condemned Gandhi for allegedly insulting the Hindu community, said, "Calling the entire Hindu society violent is a serious issue."

"Narendra Modi is not the entire Hindu society. BJP is not the entire Hindu society. RSS is not the entire Hindu society. It is not the BJP's right (to speak for all Hindus)," replied Gandhi.

VHP and Bajrang Dal activists also took to the streets of Ahmedabad, storming the Congress office. Some VHP and Bajrang Dal members, armed with black spray bottles, defaced photos and posters of Rahul Gandhi while chanting "Jai Shree Ram".

Hemang Raval, spokesperson for the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, condemned the incident, describing it as a "cowardly attack" orchestrated by "so-called, fake Hindus under cover of darkness".

"We challenge them to face us in broad daylight with whatever weapons they choose; we possess the weapons of truth and non-violence," he added.

"People belonging to BJP, Bajrang Dal and VHP pelted stones at the Congress office in Ahmedabad last night, in protest against Rahul Gandhi's comment on Hindus made in Parliament yesterday. Police complaint filed in the matter," Raval was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.

According to Raval, the Congress party will be taking a legal opinion on filing a complaint against the perpetrators of violence. One of the security guards at the Congress office, his wife and daughter were also manhandled and beaten up by the saffron brigade workers, claimed Raval.

Former Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bharat Solanki also condemned the attack and said, “The attack further strengthens our resolve to fight against hatred with truth and non-violence.”