BJP says don't call Rahul Gandhi's attackers 'goons', Omar Abdullah says apply same yardstick for Kashmiris

The BJP termed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit to flood-hit Gujarat as an example of his "photo opportunity" politics and played down protests targeting him, saying the opposition party should "respect" people's emotions.

After the Congress alleged that "BJP goons" were behind the stone attack on Gandhi's car, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the opposition party should not "abuse" people who are "angry" over the floods and "tired" of Rahul Gandhi's politics. "For God's sake, don't call people goons. Don't call public of this country as rowdy elements, people who are suffering from floods, people who are tired of this kind of politics that Rahul Gandhi and his party are doing. Let's respect people's emotions," he told reporters.

This evoked a response from former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who drew a parallel between those that attacked Rahul Gandhi and stone-pelters in Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter that BJP use the same yardstick to 'describe people's actions in Kashmir'. 

I would request the BJP to use the same yardstick to describe people's actions & emotions in Kashmir when talking about protestors here. https://t.co/S3te4usx9r

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) August 4, 2017

It would only be in the fitness of things to use the same yardstick given the whole integral part of India status that J&K enjoys.

— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) August 4, 2017

The Congress has transported its Gujarat MLAs to the southern state ruled by it in a bid to keep its flock together ahead of crucual Rajya Sabha polls in the state. Six of its MLAs have left the party recently. Hitting out at Gandhi, Patra said everybody knows that he practises politics of opportunism and believes in "fly by politics".