New Delhi/IBNS: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday demanded an apology from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his controversial "Dog" remark, media reports said.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Alwar, Kharge said as the Congress won independence for the country and leaders like Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives.

"Has even your dog at home died for the country? Still, they (BJP) claim to be patriots and if we say something we are termed as anti-nationals," said Kharge as quoted by NDTV.

After Alwar, Kharge on Tuesday said in Parliament the BJP government "talk like a lion" but "act like a mouse" slamming the incumbent for "not allowing" discussion on the border clash with China.

Condemning Kharge's comments, both in Alwar and Parliament, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, "We condemn Mallikarjun Kharge's comments, the way he used offensive language and tried to spread a lie. He should apologise for using offensive language in Alwar."

Refusing to apologise, Kharge said as quoted by the media, "If I repeat myself here, it will be very difficult for these people (BJP), because those who apologised during the freedom struggle are asking those who fought for freedom to apologise. They said that the Congress is conducting a ‘Bharat Todo (Divide India) Yatra'.

"That's when I said Congress has always worked on Bharat Jodo (uniting India). For this, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi gave their lives. What have you done? Who do you know has sacrificed for the country?"