Last checked, VP post bipartisan, doesn't belong to any party: Congress on Dhankhar's criticism of Rahul

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday took a swipe at Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for his repeated apparent attacks at party leader Rahul Gandhi, saying "last checked, the post of the vice president was bipartisan" and the person occupying it does not belong to any party.

In a veiled rebuke to Gandhi over his remarks in the US, Dhankhar on Friday said a person holding a constitutional post behaved in a foreign country in a way that he forgot the oath of allegiance to the Constitution, ignored interest of the country and stabbed the dignity of the country's institutions.

At another event on Sunday, Dhankhar again made a veiled attack on Gandhi over his remarks on reservations in the US, saying such comments by a person holding a constitutional post shows an "anti-constitutional mindset".

The opposition party took a dig following Dhankhar's repeated criticism of Gandhi over his remarks during his recent US visit.

Asked about the repeated criticism of Gandhi by the vice president, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "I think you have gotten it wrong. I think Jagdeep Dhankhar is criticising a leader for defaming the country overseas, he means Mr (Prime Narendra) Modi. I think he is showing a mirror to Mr Modi, who went to China and said those who were born before 2014 used to lament about their destiny."

She alleged that Modi made similar remarks in South Korea, Canada, in the US, the UK.

"He is showing (the mirror) to him," she said, adding, "Last checked, the post of the vice president was bipartisan. He does not belong to any party. But if you close eyes and listen to the vice president, what would you find? You would have a better answer," Shrinate said.

"If I say something from this podium it would not be dignified, he would get worried, call my leaders and show them my tweets and Instagram posts," she added.

Hitting back at Dhankhar for his apparent attack on Gandhi, the Congress on Sunday had asked the vice president who he supports, "the one adamantly refusing to conduct a caste census or the one championing" the demand for it.

Tagging a post on Dhankhar's attack on Gandhi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had said, "I would ask this constitutional authority who he supports - the One who is adamantly refusing to conduct a caste census or the one who is forcefully championing caste census & removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs & OBCs?"