Bengaluru(PTI): The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) of targeting actor Kichha Sudeep for his support to the ruling party in poll-bound Karnataka and cited his tribal background to hit out at its rivals.

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Sudeep has earned his standing and not inherited it like Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused opposition parties of “hypocrisy” for speaking for freedom of expression and democratic rights on one hand and on the other, targeting the actor for exercising his right to support a party.

Speaking to reporters, Bhatia also hit back at critics for claiming that the BJP seeking support from Sudeep highlighted its weakness and dependence on outsiders as he noted that actors such as Swara Bhaskar and Riya Sen had joined Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.

Bhaskar had extended support to the people who raised slogans against the country’s integrity, he alleged.

Congress leaders have claimed that Sudeep’s support to the BJP was due to pressure from probe agencies while the JD(S) has also taken aims at him.

It reveals the “sick mentality” of the two parties, Bhatia said, accusing them of hurting sentiments of every Kannadiga as Sudeep is a son of the soil.

Rahul Gandhi has a right to go abroad and “defame” India by making “false statements” but the Congress will say this is his right to freedom of speech, he said.

But, according to the Congress, an Indian citizen in his home state cannot choose what his political leaning would be, the BJP leader alleged.