Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, describing him as a “specimen” who thinks he knows more than God and alleged that the idea of India is under attack, prompting a furious BJP to slam him as a “fake Gandhi” who “insults” India on the foreign soil in his bid to target Modi.
Addressing Indian Americans in Santa Clara in the US, the Congress leader said, “That is the disease. We have a group of people in India, who are absolutely convinced that they know everything. In fact, they think they know even better than God. They can sit down with God and have a conversation and explain to him about what is going on. Of course, our prime minister is one such specimen.”
Speaking at the ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan’ event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress USA, Rahul said, “They can sit with God and explain to him what’s going on. And of course, our prime minister is one such specimen. If you sat Modiji with God, he will explain to God how the universe works and God will get confused about what have I created,” he said, evoking laughter from the audience.
With Rahul likening the alleged targeting of Muslims in India to what he said used to happen to Dalits in Uttar Pradesh in the 80s, Thakur said he forgot to tell people that it was the Congress that was in power in the country and the State then. The Congress leader also alleged that other minorities like Sikhs and Christians besides Dalits and tribals were also being targeted.
Attacking him for criticising the state of affairs in India under the Modi government, Thakur said this was not the first time that Gandhi had insulted India and Indianness in his trips abroad.
It has become a habit for him as he does not consider India a nation, the BJP leader said, claiming that Gandhi had himself said so earlier.
In a hard riposte, Senior BJP leader and Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi claimed that the Congress leader’s knowledge of history did not go beyond his family.
“It is funny how someone who knows nothing is suddenly an expert on everything. A man whose knowledge of history does not go beyond his family is talking about history,” the senior BJP leader said.