The Congress demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark on the party where he stated that it was for Muslim men only.

Modi’s statement on the party showed his “sick mentality”, said Congress’ spokesperson Anand Sharma.

The prime minister, during his speech in Azamgarh on 14 July, had come down heavily on Congress over its stand on triple talaq, asking if it was a party for Muslim men alone.

Sharma said that Modi had continuously hurt the dignity of his office.

“There is an attempt by him to divide society... His main opposition, the INC, led the national movement, spearheaded the fight for independence... to call it a Muslim party does not behove a PM. He should apologise for his statement.

“His sick mindset is an issue of national concern. The prime minister gives out statements which are wrong as per history and facts and he should apologise for the same,” the senior leader added.

Sharma called the prime minister a "peddler of untruths". He also said instead of giving an account of the last four years, the prime minister is resorting to “untruths, half-truth and lies".

He also claimed that Modi had "less knowledge of history and wrote his history".

The senior leader said PM Modi needed to be reminded that Congress presidents such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Maulana Azad were iconic leaders.

Sharma said the Congress party was for all Indians and respects the diversity the country has to offer.

In his explanation asking if the Congress was "a party for Muslim men", the prime minister had declared the Opposition was stonewalling the government's efforts to secure the life of women, especially Muslim women, with moves like the outlawing of triple talaq - instant divorce law.

Historian Irfan Habib, who was also present at a recent meeting between Muslim intellectuals and Rahul Gandhi, had also rejected that Rahul had said anything of the sorts.

Sharma said the Congress was against triple talaq, but they were not in favour of the government avoiding the Parliament to introduce a law.

The Congress also claimed that the Modi government presented false data about reducing poverty. The prime minister's claim that five crore people have been lifted out of poverty in two years was a "laughable thing", Sharma said.