New Delhi, 20 April

The Congress on Sunday described the BJP disassociating itself from the criticism of the Supreme Court by its MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma as "damage control" and asserted that the minimum action against them should be their expulsion from the party.

The opposition party also asked why no action had been taken against the two MPs and why no show cause notices were issued to them.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the distancing of the "outgoing BJP president" from the "atrocious remarks" made by two MPs on the Chief Justice of India (CJI) carried little meaning.

"These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals. The outgoing BJP president's clarification is nothing but damage control," Ramesh said in a post on X.

But the "outgoing BJP president" is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high constitutional position, Ramesh said and asked what he had to say about those remarks and if the BJP subscribed to them.

The former Union minister further asked, "If the continued silence of the prime minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show cause notices to these two MPs?"

The BJP on Saturday disassociated itself from Dubey and Sharma's criticism of the Supreme Court, with party president JP Nadda calling the comments their personal views.

Earlier on Saturday, Dubey -- one of the more vocal BJP members in the Lok Sabha -- launched a broadside against the Supreme Court, saying Parliament and state assemblies should be shut if the apex court had to make the laws.

Dubey had also alleged that CJI Khanna was responsible for "civil wars" in the country.

Sharma, a former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was also critical of the Supreme Court, saying no one could direct Parliament or the president.