Modi clearly incapable of speaking truth: Ramesh

"It is clear that even by mistake, you are clearly incapable of speaking the truth," the Union Minister said addressing the Gujarat Chief Minister as "My dear Shri Narendra Modi".

Addressing a rally in Chikmaglur yesterday, Modi had slammed Ramesh alleging that during his foreign visits the Union Minister had called India the "dirtiest and laziest" country in the world.

"Nowadays, there is a minister in Congress who has studied in a foreign country and was born here in Chikmagalur.

"He says India is the dirtiest and laziest country in the world. What type of a son is he of Mother India. He goes to a foreign land, eats food in his aunty's house and starts abusing his mother (India)," Modi had said.

Responding to Modi's allegation, Ramesh said, "Just for the record, I have said that India deserves a Nobel Prize for filth. I said this in New Delhi some four years ago and I continue to hold this view."

In his letter, the Congress leader recalled the sentiments shared by him and Modi on the issue of sanitation in the country.

"I have also said that India has the largest number (and proportion) of people practicing open defecation. I stand by that statement also.

"I have also said that India's salvation lies in sanitation and not just in spirituality, a view that I continue to hold and which you have also endorsed," Ramesh said.