The Congress on Wednesday said the government’s attempt to blame the “fringe” for the derogatory comments on Prophet Mohammed by two now-axed BJP spokespersons was a ploy to mislead.

The party added that India was facing global embarrassment over the issue because Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suppressed and discredited voices of sanity for the past eight years.

It also questioned Indian embassies’ use of a BJP statement to try and placate foreign governments, asking whether the embassies had become BJP mouthpieces.

“Fringe is BJP’s core,” tweeted Rahul Gandhi, suggesting the hate project was collectively sustained by the entire Sangh parivar.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said: “How can Narendra Modi shift the blame to the fringe? He has traversed the same lanes; he has come up doing the same things. We haven’t forgotten his statements. Remember, yesterday’s fringe is today’s mainstream and today’s fringe will be tomorrow’s core.”

The Congress said the toxic ambience prevailing in the country had been nurtured consciously by the Sangh parivar after Modi assumed power at the Centre.

“India is paying the price for the BJP’s mistakes over many years,” former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said.

“This is unacceptable! Understand the chronology: BJP spokespersons and ministers spew venom on minorities and political opponents since 2015. No action. Instead, they are projected, protected and promoted.”

Ramesh added: “Two BJP spokespersons cross all limits. Some friendly countries along with others are furious leading to unprecedented diplomatic blowback. The BJP government calls these spokespersons ‘fringe elements’ while it continues with many cringe elements.

“Our embassies abroad distribute the BJP’s apologies. The government keeps mum. Of course, Vishguru, who is the inspiration and driving force behind these actions with a poisonous track record of over 20 years, keeps quiet.”

“Vishguru” is a new moniker for Modi the Congress has coined. “Vish” means poison.

Khera said: “Our embassies are distributing the BJP’s statement. Has this ever happened? Have the embassies become the BJP’s mouthpiece?

“The Modi government has embarrassed the nation in so many ways. Why is the external affairs minister not speaking? Why are the Prime Minister and the home minister, who are so fond of speaking on every subject, silent on this?”

The Indian embassies have held up a BJP media release, issued by party general secretary Arun Singh, as evidence of India’s commitment to constitutional principles and respect for all religions.

Former junior foreign minister Shashi Tharoor too objected to this.

“This is a serious issue. The very distinction between our government & a political party (which the ministry of external affairs relied on to distance the government from the inflammatory remarks) has been forgotten in this over-zealous message,” Tharoor said.

“(Foreign minister) S. Jaishankar should rap his colleagues on the knuckles forthwith.”

Khera said: “The Prime Minister remained silent when BJP leaders and ministers spread communal hatred over the last few years. The Prime Minister used the Sangh parivar ecosystem to silence and discredit the voices of sanity that reminded him of constitutional values and pluralism.

“Opposition leaders, retired bureaucrats, a section of the media, intellectuals… were branded anti-national, ‘tukde-tukde gang’, for telling the government that communal poison was vitiating the political and social atmosphere. Now the government surrenders before foreign countries when they are making the same point.”

Khera added: “When a minister raised the ‘goli maro’ slogan, he got a promotion because there were no protests from the world. Now the spokespersons have been suspended, but they will be back sooner or later. The business of spreading hate will continue.”

“The entire world has united against us -- Modi has achieved what Pakistan couldn’t over the decades. The world is watching what is happening to the democratic institutions in India. Everybody knows on whose command the spokespersons spread hate.”

Citing how Hindutva leaders spoke in multiple voices to confuse the public, Khera said the Sangh parivar was like a hydra-headed monster.

“Somebody will say something and others will deny it. The battle between the face and the mask is very old. The Prime Minister has nurtured snakes which are now threatening to bite him. Modi should stop playing this game and send all the snakes back into their holes,” he said.