Rahul Gandhi can never think of disrespecting former prime minister Manmohan Singh: Congress

The Congress on Monday (February 17) defended Rahul Gandhi's act of tearing a copy of an ordinance in 2013 when Manmohan Singh was prime minister, saying that the former Congress president can think of disrespecting Manmohan Singh.

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Rahul Gandhi's decision to tear the ordinance brought by the Congress-led UPA government to allow those convicted in criminal cases to contest elections should be seen as a courageous step.

Surjewala made the statements shortly after former Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said after the Gandhi scion tore the ordinance, Manmohan Singh had asked him whether he should step down as prime minister.

"I do not know what was discussed between the two people. But, Rahul Gandhi has considered Dr Manmohan Singh as his guru and guide, neither Rahul Gandhi nor the Congress party can even think of disrespecting him," Surjewala said.

"The issue is not tearing the paper but the issue is of clean politics and whether criminals should remain in politics," he added.

It is to be noted that Singh was on a visit to the US when Rahul Gandhi had torn apart a copy of the ordinance, terming it as "complete nonsense". Rahul had publicly said that it should be "torn up and thrown away".

"I was part of the PM's delegation in New York and my brother Sanjeev, who had retired from the IAS, telephoned to say he had written a piece that was very critical of the PM. He had emailed it to me and said he hoped I didn't find it embarrassing," Ahluwalia was quoted as saying by PTI.