The BJP on Monday (June 1, 2026) hit out at Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal over his remarks criticising the ruling party, accusing him of "hating India" and alleging that he remained silent on incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal in 2021.

The attack came in response to Mr. Sibal's remarks on Sunday (May 31) that he was ashamed to live in a country where the party in power would use any means to destroy the foundations of democracy, referring to the attack on TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.

In a video statement, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the senior advocate earned "crores of rupees" by practising in the country's Supreme Court and yet claimed to be ashamed of living in India.

"Kapil Sibal says that he is ashamed to live in India. The question is, when post-poll violence happened in 2021, and more than 300 BJP workers and Congress workers were allegedly killed, Kapil Sibal never opened his mouth. The same Kapil Sibal kept quiet even during cases such as RG Kar and Sandeshkhali," he said.

Mr. Poonawalla said political differences with the government are acceptable, but questioned a "tendency" among some Opposition leaders to attack the country because of their Opposition to the BJP.

"Opposing the BJP is one thing, but why oppose India? You can have political differences, but why hate India?" Mr. Poonawalla said.

He also referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's past remarks and alleged that some Opposition leaders routinely questioned India's democratic institutions, judiciary and security forces.

"Today, just because you have a problem with the BJP, you end up hating India. Rahul Gandhi says that he will fight the Indian state. He says democracy is over and that the U.S. and the U.K. need to intervene. Kapil Sibal says he is ashamed to live in India. Somebody else questions the valour of our forces during Operation Sindoor. Somebody questions the democratic institutions of this country. Somebody challenges the judiciary," he said.

Commenting on the attack on Banerjee, Mr. Poonawalla said nobody justified the heckling faced by him and claimed that some of those arrested in connection with the incident were linked to the Trinamool Congress.

"Whatever it may be, nobody has justified it," he said, while alleging that several Opposition leaders are treating the episode as an internal feud rather than condemning the incident.

"In fact, some of the people arrested appear to be linked to the TMC. A majority of them have not condemned the attack. Perhaps, it is an internal fight and feud. Whatever it may be, nobody has justified it," he said.

Mr. Poonawalla alleged that a section of the Opposition was portraying India negatively before the world because of its political Opposition to the BJP. "This shows how, in Opposing the BJP, they end up Opposing the nation, and that is troubling," he said.

Another BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also slammed Sibal, saying that his remarks were "an insult of crores of Indian voters; voters of Bengal and Indian democracy".