New Delhi: Congress leader Rashid Alvi is in the centre of a fresh controversy for calling Narendra Modi as the ''most stupid prime minister'' - a comment that has evoked a sharp response from the ruling BJP which has now demanded an unconditional apology from him.
Reports, Tuesday, said the Congress leader made this remark while participating in ''Samvad'', a programme organised by a TV news channel to mark the two years of completion of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.
Addressing a gathering, Alvi had asked Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who was also present, as to what action was being taken on Modi coming out as "most stupid Prime Minister" in Google search.
Alvi's offensive comments angered the audience, which asked him to take his words back and apologise. Despite attempts by the organisers of programme to pacify the agitated audience, the crowd kept shouting 'shame shame' and 'shame on Congress'.
Responding to Alvi's remarks, Irani said, "In Congress, those who throw stones and spits at Narendra Modi will be blue-eyed. The poison against Narendra Modi has crossed the limits that people forget that he is country's Prime Minister."
"When Rashid bhai uses such words for the country's Prime Minister, what kind of words does he use for a woman minister by saying that 'it is heard that you are very close to Modi ji,'' she said.
''We have to bear this everyday and then you say why does Smriti Irani get angry," the HRD Minister said.
Lashing out at the Congress, Irani said, "By the example put forth by Alvi, neither Modi nor his supporters would be hurt, but the Congress leader has only lowered his own image by doing so.''
Earlier BJP leader and former JD(U) MP Sabir Ali too attacked Congress, saying it reflected the mindset of the oldest party of the country and its leaders who were unable to digest their defeat and that their regime and influence were gone.''
Lyricist and screenwriter Prasoon Joshi said Google provided information the way it was put forth before the search engine. "It is like an algorithm. Google always follows the pattern of your search. It is not a gospel, it is a pattern. It is an algorithm and should be read like that," he said.
