The vice president's comments came in the wake of Gandhi's remarks made in the UK, expressing regret that democratic parts of the world, including the United States and Europe, have failed to notice that a "large chunk of democracy has come undone" in India. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Congress leader's remarks, accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking an apology from him. The row over Gandhi's remarks also hit Parliament, leading to a near washout of the second part of the Budget Session.