New Delhi, Jul 12 (IANS): The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday used his social media account to appeal in favour of BJP leader and former Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Taking to X, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi urged trolls to refrain from spewing demeaning and derogatory remarks against her.

LoP Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to quell slurs against the BJP leader came on the back of hate that Smriti Irani was subjected to, allegedly by Congress supporters, after losing Lok Sabha elections from Amethi and vacating her official bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi, last week.

“Winning and losing happen in life. I urge everyone to refrain from using derogatory language and being nasty towards Smt. Smriti Irani or any other leader for that matter,” said LoP Rahul Gandhi on his X handle.

In a further message to the trolls, LoP Rahul Gandhi said that humiliating and insulting people was a sign of weakness and not strength.

In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi by around 55,000 votes from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency and earned the tag of ‘giant slayer’ while in the just-concluded 2024 polls, she lost the seat to Gandhi family loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma by about 1.6 lakh votes.

The defeat of Smriti Irani by a relatively unknown Congress candidate sent party workers into a frenzied mode with many mocking the former and calling it a “humiliating” and “shameful” loss for her.

However, the LoP’s post didn’t win any favour with the BJP as the party’s IT cell incharge slammed him and called it the 'most disingenuous' attempt to discredit her.

“After unleashing Congress leaders, like a pack of wolves, on the woman who defeated him in Amethi and smashed his arrogance to smithereens, this is rich,” Amit Malviya said.

He also added that such ‘gibberish’ talk by the Congress leader won’t take away from the fact that it was because of Smriti Irani that the ‘Balak buddhi’ was forced to jettison Amethi Lok Sabha seat.