'I Stand By My Words': Rahul Gandhi Refuses to Apologise For 'Anti-Hindu' Remarks

New Delhi: A day after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi embroiled in controversy following his anti-Hindu remark in the Lok Sabha, the Congress leader on Tuesday said truth can be expunged in the world of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but not in reality. Gandhi's statement came hours after significant parts of his Lok Sabha speech were deleted by the chair.

"Truth can be expunged in the world of Modi ji, but in reality truth cannot be expunged," Gandhi said.

"Whatever I had to say, I have said and that is the truth. They can expunge as much as they want, but the truth will prevail," Gandhi said outside the Parliament complex.

The Congress leader was responding to questions on the remarks he made during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In his first speech as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi had launched a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, accusing the leaders of the ruling party of dividing people on communal lines.

He said, "All our great men have spoken about non-violence and eliminating fear... But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, and untruth. You are not Hindu at all (Aap Hindu ho hi nahi)". 

The uproar over Gandhi's statement was so intense that PM Modi intervened for the first time since becoming an MP in 2014. Amid the clamor, he remarked, “Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious charge.”  In response, Rahul Gandhi said, “Modi, BJP, and RSS do not represent the entire Hindu community.”

Gandhi's remarks drew massive protests from the treasury benches and a rare intervention from the prime minister, who slammed the Congress leader for calling the entire Hindu community violent.