'Always better to sell tea than sell the country': Venkaiah Naidu

Launching a frontal attack on the Congress Party following party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's tea seller remark on Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday condemned his statement, and said that it is always better to sell tea than sell the country.

"How can anybody ridicule people who are engaged in selling tea? It is a matter of self respect. It is always better to sell tea than selling the country. People have ruled and ruined the country, and tried to sell the country through corruption, scams and scandals. It is always better to appreciate somebody who has a humble background of a tea seller. This is the height of arrogance," he told media here today.

Earlier on Saturday, Mani Shankar Aiyar's office in Chennai was attacked by unidentified protestors.

This incident took place a day after Aiyar had made a direct attack Modi, and mocked him.

Aiyar at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meet on Friday had said that Modi could never become the prime minister, and added, "If he wants to sell tea here, we can arrange for it."

"Give my word, Modi will never become the prime minister in the 21st century," said Aiyar.