Rahul trying to defend himself as JNU stand sparked anger: BJP

New Delhi, Feb 18  The BJP on Thursday hit back at Rahul Gandhi, saying the Congress vice president's assertion that nationalism runs in his blood was meant to defend himself after his stand on the JNU row sparked anger in the country.

The BJP also accused the Congress of politicising the JNU row to derail the Narendra Modi government's development agenda.

"Rahul Gandhi says nationalism in his blood. I want to know what kind of blood it is of the Congress which cries over deaths of terrorists and their leaders describe them 'Afzal Guru ji' and 'Hafiz Saheb'," BJP national secretary Srikant Sharma said at a press conference.

"The Congress's philosophy says there is dictatorship in your blood, and you (Rahul) say there is nationalism," he added.

Sharma's reaction came after Gandhi along with other Congress leaders met President Pranab Mukherjee on the Jawaharlal Nehru University row.

"Gandhi's assertion that nationalism runs in his blood was meant to defend himself after his stand on the issue sparked anger in the country," Sharma said.

Sharma alleged it was the height of the Congress's vote bank politics on allying with anti-national voices.

"They (Congress leaders) are the people who divided the nation for their vote bank politics. They also keep spreading propaganda against the Modi government. This is height of the Congress's intolerance," he said.

Sharma also slammed the Left parties saying, "The Congress, their allies and the Left parties are doing hatred politics over the JNU row to fulfil their selfish political agenda only."