Congress can't endure Narendra Modi: Smriti Irani's response to 'chaiwala' tweet

NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday hit out at the Congress, saying the grand old party can't endure Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he has set an example of politics of development.

Coming down hard at the Congress over a meme on official Twitter handle of the Indian Youth Congress online magazine 'Yuva Desh' targetting the Prime Minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, “The person (PM Modi) whom they taunt as 'chaiwala' is the one under whose leadership India saw a phenomenal jump in Moody's & Ease of Doing Business rankings.”

Irani's statement comes a day after, the Congres in a potentially self-damaging act ahead of the Gujarat polls, the party's youth wing on Tuesday circulated a meme about PM Modi's 'chaiwala' past, provoking a backlash from the BJP, and prompting a red-faced Congress to distance from it.

Though the IYC chief Amarinder Singh Raja apologised, he maintained the Twitter handle was handled by volunteers and not by the youth body as such.

The meme -- in which British Prime Minister Theresa May was portrayed as asking Modi to "go sell tea" -- was deleted after it was reported by the media.

"Although the handle @Yuvadesh is run by youth volunteers and not by @iyc , we do not approve of such humour and apologise. Despite political differences with the BJP and having suffered everyday abuse from their leaders, we respect the Prime Minister and all political opponents," Raja tweeted.

The Union Minister also slammed Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav for his "don't advertise for the donkeys of Gujarat" comments.

Irani was referring to Yadav's February comment. During the Uttar Pradesh election campaign, the SP leader had a piece of advice for megastar Amitabh Bachchan, "don't advertise for the donkeys of Gujarat".

"Ek gadhe ka vigyapan aata hai. Main iss sadi ke sabse bade mahanayak se kahunga ke ab aap Gujarat ke gadhon ka prachar mat kariye (There's an ad on TV which shows donkeys. I appeal to century's biggest star, please stop endorsing the donkeys of Gujarat)," Akhilesh had said.