Assam temple allegation: Rahul Gandhi has become a "lying machine", says BJP

New Delhi: BJP on Monday termed as "fabricated" Rahul Gandhi's charge that he was denied entry into a temple in Assam by RSS workers, alleging that the Congress vice president had become a "lying machine" and was talking about such non-issues to disrupt Parliament.

The party said also hit back at Gandhi after he blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for withdrawal of invitation to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for an event, saying he was making "petty and childish" charges and that the decision was taken by the organisers.

"Rahul Gandhi claims he was stopped by RSS from entering an Assam temple. Earlier somebody (Selja) claimed that she was stopped from entering a temple in Dwarka and she was exposed in Parliament. What Gandhi says is fabricated and a lie," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told a press conference.

He claimed Chandy had himself written a letter, stating he will not be able to attend the event.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said in Parliament that the decision to cancel the invitation to Chandy for tomorrow's event in Kerala was taken by the organisers and the government had nothing to do with it as it was a private function.

BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said it was a matter of "shame" for Gandhi if he was not permitted to enter a temple in a state run by a Congress government.

"His disinformation campaign against RSS is well known. It is difficult to accept his lies against RSS. He has become a lying machine. Does RSS run temples? Does he have any evidence that those protesting against him were RSS workers? If RSS was stopping him then how did he manage to go to the temple later in evening?" Sharma asked in a statement.

His campaign on such a fabricated charge was a part of Congress' strategy to disrupt Parliament, Sharma said.

Speaking about the Kerala event, he said the decision of organisers was a reflection on the "plummeting popularity" of Chandy due to his alleged involvement in corruption.

"Rahul Gandhi should not blame BJP and Modi for everything. He is only showing his immaturity and childishness with such comments," he said.

Rahul Gandhi today claimed that he was stopped from entering a temple in Barpeta by RSS workers during his recent visit to Assam, saying this was BJP's style of politics which was "unacceptable".