‘Calling Modi ‘Father of India’ insult to Gandhi’

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "Father of India" is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday.

He also attacked Union minister Jitendra Singh for saying that those who do not feel proud of Trump's comment that Modi is the father of India, do not consider themselves Indians, international media reported.

"Well, I am certainly not proud of the 'praise' and think it is an insult to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. "So my friend Dr Jitendra Singh, will you out me as a non-Indian? Do so if this is your criteria," Ramesh said.

Congress spokesperson Rajiv Tyagi said the people of India are very knowledgeable and smart, and they can make out who the father of the nation is and there is no doubt that it is Mahatma Gandhi.

"The Father of the Nation can only be one person and that is Mahatma Gandhi, as he preached non-violence and he is revered across the world," he said.

Asked if Modi was not a proponent of non-violence, Tyagi said Indians are very intelligent and they would not go by any foreign leader's remark, as they know how to take their decisions.

Earlier, Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said those who “do not feel proud” of US President Donald Trump’s comment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the “father of India”, do not consider themselves Indians. “India is being respected in a way which was rare in the past,” Singh said.

“People who live abroad are proud today of being Indian. This is happening due to the personality and personal outreach of Prime Minister Modi,” said the minister of state for the Prime Minister’s Office.

“If an impartial and bold statement comes from America and its president, then I feel every Indian should feel proud regardless of his political affiliations with any party or ideology.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at US President Donald Trump for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "father of India".

Owaisi said the US president was ignorant of the history of the country.

"Trump called Modi the Father of the Nation. He is ignorant and he does not know anything about Mahatma Gandhi. He has zero knowledge of India's great past. One should understand Modi cannot be the father of the nation because you cannot compare Gandhi and Modi. Gandhi made numerous sacrifices for this nation, he earned it," Owaisi told reporters here.

Owaisi, however, said he agreed with Trump when he compared Modi to legendary American performer Elvis Presley. " However, I agree with Trump on the point that Modi is like Elvis Presley. As Elvis used to mesmerize people with his songs, Modi also does that when he delivers speeches. I do not want to demean my prime minister by saying that he is like Elvis Presley," he said.