New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) strong criticism of his recent remarks about the Sikh community made during a speech in the United States.

Accusing the BJP of distorting his words to fabricate a false narrative, Gandhi took to social media platform X to clarify the controversy.

In a post sharing a clip from his September 10 address, Gandhi stated: "The BJP has been spreading lies about my remarks in America. I want to ask every Sikh brother and sister in India and abroad—is there anything wrong in what I have said? Shouldn't India be a country where every Sikh—and every Indian—can freely practice their religion without fear?"

Defending his comments, Gandhi asserted that the ruling party is trying to silence him out of desperation to evade confronting the truth.

He added, "As usual, the BJP is resorting to lies. They are desperate to silence me because they cannot stand the truth. But I will always speak up for the values that define India: our unity in diversity, equality, and love."

During his speech to a gathering of Indian Americans in Herndon, Virginia, Gandhi highlighted the struggles faced by minority communities in India.

He criticized the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP's ideological parent, for fostering a vision of India that devalues certain religions, languages, and communities.

"The fight is not about politics; that is superficial," Gandhi remarked in the video. "The fight is about whether he (pointing to a Sikh man) will be allowed to wear his turban, his kada, and go to gurdwara in India."

He emphasized that this applies to all religions, stating, "What the RSS is basically saying is that 'certain states are inferior to other states, certain languages are inferior to other languages, certain communities are inferior to other communities.'"

Gandhi continued, "We believe that whether you are from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, or Madhya Pradesh, all of you have your history, traditions, and languages, and each is as important as any other. The fight is about what type of India we are going to have."

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri was quick to condemn Gandhi's remarks, labeling them as “sinister” and accusing him of spreading misinformation about the treatment of Sikhs in India.

At a press conference, Puri suggested that Gandhi was manipulating the emotions of the Sikh diaspora, many of whom he claimed are disconnected from realities in India.

"Rahul Gandhi was trying to spread a false narrative while speaking in front of those who belong to my community and are trying to earn a living in the US with hard work and honesty," Puri stated. "They do not have much connection with the country."

Puri cautioned that Gandhi’s comments could harm the nation's social fabric, calling it a "dangerous" narrative.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed disappointment, criticizing the opposition leader for damaging India's reputation abroad. "It is extremely shameful that the Leader of Opposition is hurting the dignity of India by making misleading, baseless, and factless claims during his foreign tour," Singh said, firmly denying Gandhi’s assertions that Sikhs in India face restrictions in practicing their faith.

"The Sikh community is not only allowed but is respected for its religious practices. The entire country recognizes and honors the significant role Sikhs play in preserving our culture," he added.