Brushing off suggestions that the Congress party is synonymous with dynastic politics, party vice president Rahul Gandhi said today that dynasties are a fact of life in India, whether it be in politics or business, and insisted that the real test of a person is not pedigree but ability.

His comments in the US set off a chorus of protest by the BJP in India with Union Minister Smriti Irani calling him a "failed dynast" and a failed politician.Speaking at the University of California, Berkeley, Gandhi also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of divisive politics, creating space for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and ruining the economy.

Responding to a question from students, Gandhi said that he was "absolutely ready" to take up an executive responsibility if the party asked him to do so.Responding to another question whether the Congress party was more associated with dynastic politics, Gandhi argued that India is being run by dynasties.

"Most parties in India have that problem So...Mr Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Mr Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK) is a dynast... Even Abhishek Bachchhan is a dynast. So that's how India runs. So don't get after me because that's how they India is run. By the way, last, I recall, Mr Ambanis are running the business. That's also going on in Infosys. So that's what happens in India," Gandhi said as he listed several prominent Indians born into famous families.But, he said there were a large number of people in the Congress Party who were not from dynastic families. "And I can name them in every state. There are also people who happen to have a father, or a grandmother or a great grandfather in politics. They do exist," he said."The real question is whether the person actually a capable and a sensitive person," the 47-year-old Gandhi said.

Here's how Twitter reacted to Rahul Gandhi's comments:

Rahul Gandhi called me a dynast, Good part is that at least I am not busy destroying my own dynasty. September 12, 2017

Karan johar of politics https://t.co/voElRiblm4 — Amby Says (@ambyism) September 12, 2017

My first reaction was: Whaaat!! Then I saw why @OfficeOfRG chose @juniorbachchan for his example. Both extremely accomplished men. https://t.co/xDfZFZXGID — darpan singh (@darpans) September 12, 2017

Lol.. Giving Abhishek Bachchan's example .. And no, not how the country is 'running' #RahulGandhi https://t.co/CVSuGP8PT5 — Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) September 12, 2017

Telling that Rahul Gandhi compares himself with Abhishek Bachchan, not with more successful dynasts like Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan etc — Raju Das | ৰাজু দাস (@rajudasonline) September 12, 2017

Markandeya katju said 90% of Indians are idiots so why am I being singled out? https://t.co/4ofpX7BsTI — * (@BhagwaanUvacha) September 12, 2017

Meanwhile, Akhilesh & Stalin waiting for Raga to comeback pic.twitter.com/Wqn83JkAnv — Acer (@aceroholic) September 12, 2017

Translation: "Dynasts have the first claim to rule the country". What an entitled brat RaGa is! https://t.co/tlFYX1BIrF — Rho (@roshogulla007) September 12, 2017

Rahul Gandhi made himself 'Joke' of the World. Earlier he had limited edition within India, spread to Pakistan & China, now conquered world https://t.co/cfGwH6gjOe — Rajesh C (@RajeshGuwahati) September 12, 2017

His words may be meaningless but that look is priceless. https://t.co/cGyRKEQEt9 — Ram Prasad (@ramprasad_c) September 12, 2017