New Delhi: Congress leader Manish Tewari has created a political storm with a twitter post using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tewari is the second Congress leader after party general secretary Digvijaya Singh to come under fire for using foul language against Modi. Singh had recently retweeted a post which contained expletives against the prime minister.
In his post, Tewari wrote in Hindi in Roman script about how Modi "befooled" people and that, "Even Mahatma cannot teach MODI Deshbhakti (patriotism)".
He was responding to a remark made by a person on the micro blogging website that patriotism is in the DNA of Modi and even Mahatma Gandhi cannot teach him that. It was made in response to a short video clip put up by Tewari about a gaffe committed by Modi abroad when he had started walking even as the national anthem was being played.
Reacting sharply, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said a desperate Congress and its leaders have "lost their mental balance" after being rejected by people. He said they are using foul language against the prime minister as they have run out of logic to counter him.
He said it is unfortunate that they have forgotten the dignity and decorum politics requires while targeting the BJP and the prime minister.
Another BJP leader Subramanian Swamy alleged that someone else is "orchestrating" Congress' abusive attack as Tewari has the reputation of being sober and sensitive.
"The only person I think who has the authority to make (such a remark) is Rahul Gandhi, who can say anything anytime."
"There is a genuine frustration in the Congress that despite all the policy failures that they are trying to point out the country is solidly with the BJP," he said.
The issue led to a major row on the social media with trolls targeting Tewari. A hashtag "#CongLeaderAbusesPM" was also used and evoked sharp reactions from twitterati.
As criticism mounted, Tewari took to the twitter to say he put out the video ostensibly showing PM walking while National Anthem was playing in response to someone's tweet and that he meant no offence to Modi.
"If brouhaha is over Hindi phrase in colloquial-used to describe idiocity - nothing more. In this case of a person who put PM over Mahatma," he said in a series of tweets.