BJP alleged Rahul Gandhi was seen fiddling with his mobile phoned during the President's address

The Congress raised strong objections on Thursday to the comments made by BJP leaders on Rahul Gandhi using his mobile phone during President Ram Nath Kovind's address to a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament and said the ruling party should not make such remarks.

Congress's senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said Mr Gandhi did not understand a few words and there was no disrespect to the president, as was being said by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"I think it is very frivolous if the BJP is saying so. If you see the footage, half of the ministers were talking to each other. Senior ministers. Were they showing disrespect to the president? It is not a fair comment," he told reporters.

"A serious political party, which is in power, should not make such remarks," Mr Sharma said.

Some BJP leaders earlier raised objections to Mr Gandhi's conduct during the president's address and said "it only shows the lack of seriousness of the opposition leader".

They alleged that when President Ram Nath Kovind was speaking, Mr Gandhi was seen fiddling with his mobile phone, which the Congress denied.