The BJP and the Congress continued to cast aspersions on each other over the show of “disrespect” to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The BJP on Monday claimed Rahul Gandhi had flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year after having “exploited” Singh’s death for his “expedient politics”. The Congress dismissed the accusation as a diversionary tactic.

“While the country is mourning Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year,” BJP’s social media head, Amit Malviya, claimed in a post on X.

The BJP leader went on to accuse the “political rival” of being anti-Sikh, seeking to return the “insult to Sikhs” charge levelled on the government by the Congress. “Rahul Gandhi politicised and exploited Dr Singh’s death for his expedient politics but his contempt for him is unmissable. The Gandhis and the Congress hate the Sikhs,” Malviya added, recalling the 1984 army operation to flush out Sikh militants from the Golden Temple. “Never forget that Indira Gandhi desecrated the Darbar Sahib,” the BJP leader said.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore responded by accusing the BJP of indulging in “diversion politics” to cover up the government’s “mismanagement” of Singh’s cremation. The Congress leader, however, did not reject the BJP’s claim about Rahul travelling to Vietnam, speaking of a “private visit”.

“When will the Sanghis stop this ‘take-diversion’ politics? The way Modi denied Doctor Sahab a place for cremation on the Yamuna banks and how his ministers cornered Doctor Sahab’s family is shameful,” Tagore said. “If Mr Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you?” the Congress MP asked and quipped: “Get well in New Year.”

The two sides have been engaged in mud-slinging over the funeral arrangements and a memorial for the former Prime Minister who passed away on Thursday night.

The Congress accused the Modi government of “deliberate insult to the first Sikh Prime Minister” by conducting the cremation at the Nigambodh Ghat, a public crematorium, and also alleged mismanagement of the last rites.

Finding itself on the back foot over the Sikh identity issue, the BJP slammed the Congress for playing “cheap politics”. On Sunday, the BJP questioned why the Gandhi family did not attend Singh’s ash immersion ceremony while claiming there was no mismanagement during the cremation.

“The BJP is a master at creating an issue out of nowhere. People understand the reality. Rahul Gandhi was here till all the rituals were over. The BJP wants to divert attention because they disrespected Dr Manmohan Singh and did not allot land for his memorial,” Congress MP Tariq Anwar said.

The Congress said its leaders did not accompany the family to the immersion of the ashes out of deference to their privacy. Responding to the BJP’s criticism, Congress communications department chairman Pawan Khera said former party president Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at their residence after the cremation.

“After discussing with them, it was felt that since the family did not get any privacy at the time of the cremation and some extended family members could not reach the pyre site, it would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the phool chunana and immersion of the ashes which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members,” Khera said.