Indian federal minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said that the Congress leader "couldn't digest" the praise and appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent foreign visits.
The remarks came in a sharp rebuttal to Congress politician Rahul Gandhi’s remark about Prime Minister Modi in San Francisco.
Accusing Gandhi of insulting India on foreign soil, Thakur said: “During his foreign visits, Rahul Gandhi insults India, which is unacceptable. He wants to insult PM Modi but ends up insulting India, questioning India's progress. He is trying to tarnish India at a time the world is acknowledging our growing stature”.
“PM Modi met almost 24 PMs and Presidents of the world and held over 50 meetings during his foreign visit recently. Several world leaders say Modi is the most popular leader. When the Australian PM said 'PM Modi is the Boss', Rahul Gandhi could not digest this”, the federal minister added.
Thakur's remarks came after the former Congress chief suggested that PM Modi “would start explaining to God how the universe works", as "some people believe they know everything”.
BJP Wanted Yatra, But Idea of 'Join India' Rests in Peoples' Hearts: Gandhi
While speaking at an event in San Francisco, Gandhi took a dig at PM Modi, as he said: “Some groups in India are under the impression that they know everything. In India, we grew up with people of different languages, different religions. And that is what is being attacked."
He further stated that the tradition in India of people like Mahatma Gandhi Ji and Guru Nanak Ji has been that you should not be under the impression of knowing everything.
“It is a 'disease' that some groups of India think that they know everything. Even if they have a conversation with God, they might explain to Him”, Gandhi added.
The Congress politician also accused the federal government of using its all strength to stop his “Bharat Jodo Yatra” ("Unite India Campaign").
“The government used all its strength to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra. [...] But nothing worked and the impact of the Yatra increased. This happened because the idea of 'Join India' is in everyone's heart”, Gandhi stated.
Rahul Gandhi's 3,000 km foot march (Yatra) started from Kanyakumari on 7 September last year and concluded in Srinagar on 30 January.