India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the main opposition Congress Party on Monday after its spokesman Pawan Khera mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father Narendra Damodardas Modi during a press conference.
Speaking about the opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the ongoing Adani-Hindenburg row, the Congress spokesman called Prime Minister Modi “Narendra Gautam Das Modi”.
"What problem does Narendra Gautam Das Modi has?" Khera said, before adding, "Is it Gautam Das or Damodar Das?"
Reacting to Khera's remark, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said it's not the first time that the Congress Party has targeted the prime minister's family.
"They have still not been able to accept that somebody from a humble background has risen to be such a popular leader. The Gandhis encourage these kinds of elements in the party."
In response, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed that the Congress spokesman made his comments to pacify “one family”.
In his tweet in Hindi, Patra said: “After worshiping ‘one family’ (the Gandhis) for a lifetime, it looks some shortcoming remained to prove one's devotion (from Congress Party). Therefore, to complete it, they used indecent language for Prime Minister Modi and his late father at the behest of that ‘family’. It just reflects the actual demeanor, character, and face of Congress.”
Hardik Patel, who recently switched sides from Congress to the BJP, also slammed Congress in a tweet in Hindi: “Congress is not able to digest the fact that the son of a poor family became the Prime Minister. So, it is repeatedly making personal attacks on Narendra Modi. Using derogatory words for his late father who had nothing to do with politics shows the fury and character of the Congress.”
Hardik Patel Condemns Pawan Khera's Statement on PM Modi's Father
© Photo : Twitter/@HardikPatel_
After receiving widespread condemnation, the Congress spokesman claimed that he was actually confused and hence made the blunder. “I genuinely got confused whether it is Damodardas or Gautam Das….,” he alleged.