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November 02, 2014 18:49 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday attacked Robert Vadra saying his "inappropriate" behaviour towards a journalist was a result of frustration and he must realise that the country is no longer ruled by the Gandhi family, even as the Congress downplayed the incident.

Vadra, Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, had on Saturday lost his cool and reportedly pushed aside the microphone of a reporter at a five-star hotel gym when he was quizzed about his controversial land deals in Haryana.

A livid Vadra was seen on a video footage shown on TV channels asking the reporter four times as to whether he was serious about his land deal question.

"It was the sheer frustration of Robert Vadra that became manifested as an inappropriate behaviour on a journalist. Vadra was the one who had called India a Banana Republic and we Indians as mango people but it is time that we make him realise that India is no more a Banana Republic which was ruled by the first family of the Congress," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh said in Vadra's defence that he was amazed by the media attention given to a "minor incident".

"Why (is) a private Citizen being unnecessarily hounded," he tweeted.

"If he has violated any law, prosecute him. If (he) has ill gotten wealth confiscate it, but this unnecessary media attention is not justified," he said in another tweet.

Asking the media not to target him, he said, "We Politicians are feeling jealous of the Media Attention which Robert is getting. We are the real Punching Bags for you. Spare him!"

However, senior BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain countered Singh saying that had Vadra been a private person he would not have got privileges.

"Vadra is not a private person. If he would have been a private person then he would not have got the privileges in Haryana, neither would he have got privileges at the Airport. He considers himself to be a very special person. According to Digvijay Singh, he is a private person. But his behaviour does not show that he is a private person," Hussain said.

The way he has behaved with the media person is very disappointing, he added.

Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi said though freedom of the media was of paramount importance, "making a mountain out of mole hill" was not the right thing to do.

Another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit described the incident as unfortunate and said that basic civility should be maintained while dealing with the media. He, however, added that he was not aware of the circumstances related to the incident and was not speaking as a party spokesperson since the matter was between an individual and a camera-person.

"I haven't seen it and I am not responding as a Congress spokesperson because it is a matter between an individual and camera-person. All I would say is, for any person, there is a public etiquette and a decorum we all maintain and you can have over-bearing media people at times, I can appreciate that, but I think for anybody we must maintain basic civility.

"I think if we have some grouse we should first let it go, this kind of public display is unfortunate," Dikshit said.

He further said that the incident may have happened for whatever reason but it is unfortunate.

When asked whether Vadra should apologise, Dikshit said it is for any individual to decide but added that it is always good to assuage if you have hurt somebody's feelings.

Commenting on the incident, CPI leader D Raja said it was an "unacceptable conduct" and that it should be seen how the I&B ministry will take up the issue.